


Anidala Flufftober 2020

by CatiiaSofiia, MissChrisDaae



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blindness, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Glitter, One Shot Collection, Romantic Fluff, Secret Relationship, Sickfic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:20:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 46,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26751241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatiiaSofiia/pseuds/CatiiaSofiia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissChrisDaae/pseuds/MissChrisDaae
Summary: 31 Days of Anidala/Vaderdala fluff, often sprinkled with angst as well.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 241
Kudos: 206
Collections: Flufftober2020





	1. In The Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In The Shadows. Anakin Skywalker wakes up after a car crash to learn that his girlfriend hasn't been entirely honest with him, and that his life has just been changed completely. A vampire au for the spooky season!

“Anakin? Anakin, can you hear me?”

A small groan left his lips and as he tried to move, his body was… stiff. Different. He felt like pins and needles were being stuck to his skin with every movement and whatever light was in the room was hurting his eyes and he hadn’t even opened them. His throat burned, his ears rang and he felt a rush of emotions and unclear thoughts and he wondered just what the hell happened to him. A cool hand rested on his shoulder.

“Baby, do you remember the car crash?”

“What?” His throat was dry and itchy and he tried to move but hissed and the sound was different. And were his teeth bigger? He could feel them at his lower lip. The lights dimmed slightly and the face of his girlfriend came into view.

“The car crash,” she repeated. “We went off the road and hit a tree, you were bleeding.”

Flashing moments ran across his head and he shook it, trying to get them to clear out. “Barely. Are we in the hospital?” He asked in a raspy whisper. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she promised, moving to take his hand and squeeze it. “But the ambulances were taking so long, and you were losing so much blood… Ani, I’m sorry.”

He blinked at her and as his vision was clearing up, he could tell something was different. “What? Did we both die? Is this heaven and if it is, why do I feel like crap?” He tried a joke to light up her mood. She was so sober, so worried. “Baby? What is it?”

“Ani, I died a long time ago.”

“You have a concussion,” he frowned.

“I did what I had to do to save you. And in doing so, I damned you to the same life I’ve lived for the last five hundred years.” She opened her mouth and her canine teeth extended downwards into beautifully, deadly sharp points. “I turned you.”

Anakin gaped at her and then laughed, shaking his head. “Very funny. We’re no longer doing reruns of Twilight. Now, in all seriousness, are we in a clinic? And if so, can I get water or something? It’s cool, baby, I’m already up and sobered, no need to test my brain.”

“We’re in the closest bread and breakfast I could find from the crash site. I compelled the police and the hospital staff to protect you from being taken to a hospital, and brought you here to let you finish turning.”

He frowned as he paid attention to her serious features. Looking around, they were in a picturesque room, the curtains were drawn but he heard the birds chirping outside and he racked his brain for coherent memories. He remembered a deer jumping into their path on the pitch-black road, he remembered screams and intense, awful pain, but she didn’t make sense. “What… you are not making sense… we had an accident. We need medical attention,” he looked down at himself and saw that there were no bruises, no scratches. Nothing at all scarred his smooth skin. Even old scars were gone. “What?” He whispered. 

“I work in night court,” she pointed out slowly. “And yet I have a townhouse that is far above the paygrade for such a career path. We’ve only ever had dinner together, never lunch, or coffee.”

He sat up fully and pushed himself back until he hit the headboard. “Next thing you’re telling me is that you sparkle,” he huffed.

“I know that sarcasm is your primary coping mechanism, Anakin, but if you could refrain from further references to the bizarre and often offensive fantasies of a repressed Mormon housewife, that would be appreciated,” Padmé replied with a hiss as she moved to a window. “Would you like to see what happens to me in the sunlight?” She pulled aside the curtains, and the sound of sizzling and the scent of flames filled the room, coming straight from her fingertips.

Anakin stared horrified and then shook his head and a hand came up to scratch at his neck as he winced. “This is a nightmare. I am in a coma. I am in a coma and having a nightmare,” he muttered to himself.

She closed the curtain and covered her hand as she walked back to him. When she reached him, the skin of her fingers was blackened and bubbling, but the bubbles were growing smaller, the black receding into the pale skin he’d always known.

“This isn’t real,” he gritted his teeth and felt his pointy canines.  _ What the heck?  _ “You’re not real. This is a freaky coma-induced nightmare.”

“I can bite you again if that would make you believe,” she snapped. He flinched away from her, and she sighed, closing her eyes. “I didn’t want you to find out this way. I didn’t want you to find out at all, but you were  _ dying _ , Anakin. I could hear your heartbeat slowing.”

“You should have taken your chances and waited for the ambulance,” he hissed as he stumbled out of bed.

“If I had, I would have lost you. And I could not allow that.”

“People die. It’s a natural part of life. Car crash or old age, you always  _ die,  _ it’s the  _ natural  _ thing to do,” he grunted as he blindly felt for the bathroom door. “You don’t just… take that away,” he waved his hand around, half-crazed.

“Yes, I can,” she said hollowly. “It was taken from me.”

“And so you did the same to me?” He narrowed his eyes at her. Tears began to fill her brown eyes.

“The creature who turned me did so for power, to use me. I turned you to save you. Because I love you too much to picture a world without you, or picture living in it. I can  _ help _ you through this, Ani. You won’t have to go through what I did, I can bring you into the shadows slowly, help you adjust until it feels normal.”

He shook his head as he entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Turning on the lights, he winced. The brightness was a bit too much for him. He fought through the discomfort in order to stare at himself in the mirror. His eyes were the same blue, maybe a shade darker and his face was clean of imperfections. His skin was smoother, lighter, and everything that scarred his body, that made up his life’s history, was gone, replaced by perfect, smooth skin. He lifted his lower lip and winced at the sharp canines that stared back at him and he understood that the itch on the back of his throat wasn’t hunger, was thirst. 

Squeezing the sides of the sink, he felt the ceramic crack under the pressure and he pulled his hands away.

He couldn’t forget. He was a vampire now.

_ Vampire.  _ His stomach did a flip. What about his mom? Ahsoka? Ben? Everyone that he loved? His friends and family?

Also, how in the world didn’t he notice anything off with Padmé? They have been seeing each other for nearly _two_ _years!_ Was he so blind that he didn’t see the red flags all around her flawless beauty and cleverness?

“I know,” she said from behind him. He was still the only figure in the mirror. 

He turned around startled. “No mirror image?” He hissed. “You apparently know a lot more things than your average person,” he scoffed at her words.

“I know what you’re going through, and no, no mirror image,” she confirmed. “A mirror is a reflection of the soul, and mine’s long gone.”

_ And mine will be erased with time _ , he concluded. “How did I miss all of this about you?  _ How?  _ For two years we’ve been together and you’ve been lying to me all along!” Anakin snapped. He remembered her earlier words. “Did you… did you compel me too? To let these elephants leave the room?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Compulsions… they only work on the weak-minded. And you’re anything but weak-minded.” She reached out her now-healed hand and pressed her fingers gently against the two small puncture marks on his neck, the only scar left.

“You made me live a lie for the past two years then do… this,” he waved at himself. 

“I didn’t  _ plan _ this, Anakin, and it was more like selective omissions than active lying. You were the one who pursued  _ me. _ ”

“You could have turned me away or something! Anything!” He shouted. “When would you tell me the truth? When you accidentally bite me? When I started growing old and you didn’t? When I spoke about kids and you had to say ‘Oh, honey, I’ve been dead for five hundred years, how do you feel about adopting?’”

“I wasn’t,” she said quietly. “I  _ was _ planning to leave in a year, suggest long-distance, and let myself slowly fade from your heart without having to tell you.”

“Fantastic job,” he said dryly, returning to the bedroom and sitting on the bed, head in his hands. “What am I going to do now?” He groaned. “My job, my friends…  _ my mom. _ ”

“We’ll figure it out,” she promised weakly, still standing in the bathroom doorway. “I’ve been living in the shadows for a long time, I can help you—”

“What do you eat? What do  _ I  _ eat now?” He growled. She sighed and moved past him to open her suitcase, pulling out a refrigerated bag.

“Have a juice box,” she said dryly, holding out an unmistakable packet of red liquid.

Anakin frowned and looked from the obvious blood bag to his girlfriend’s face. He debated with himself as the itch grew stronger and what should have been a disgusting liquid that always made him gag, was suddenly too appealing. He shook his head. “No, thank you.”

“It’s as ethically sourced as possible, Anakin, if you don’t drink this, we run the risk of you tearing out the housekeeper’s throat when he or she comes by on their rounds.”

“I’m  _ good. _ ” He gritted his teeth.

“You need to drink.”

He snorted. “Make me.”

She glared and zipped up the refrigerated bag, stuffing it back in her suitcase before she opened her mouth. Her canines extended again and she bit into the packet, sucking it dry in one continuous swallow. Not a drop spilled as she did so and she crumpled the empty plastic pouch into a ball, tossing it effortlessly into the trash.

“Makes me regret all those fancy dinners I paid for over the past two years. You don’t even taste the food, do you?” Anakin muttered, half-annoyed and half-turning away from her.

“I paid for some of those dinners too, Anakin, and actually, yes, I do taste them. A rare steak is particularly delicious. The food just doesn’t hold nutritional value for me, it dissolves in my stomach without needing to be processed further.”

He sighed. “What else?” Anakin asked flatly.

“As you see, we can be awake during the day, it’s just a matter of not letting sunlight touch us. Silver burns us. Garlic doesn’t actually hurt, our noses are just more sensitive than humans’ are. We don’t need coffins,” she listed. “And a stake through the heart is deadly, but that’s true for everyone. Regardless of species.”

Anakin nodded along with her words and after a few minutes of silence, he dropped his shoulders. “Right,” he said slowly. “What now?”

“We’ll call your mother and tell her you’re alright,” she said softly. “But you’ll need to feed before you see her, Anakin, or you’ll be putting her at risk.”

“So I’m going to spend the rest of my life hiding in the darkness?” He asked with a strain to his voice. “I can’t go back to my day job. I can’t go back living my normal life, not when… when I’m this. When I could put everyone I love at stake.”

“Maybe.”

“That’s all you have to say?” He laughed hollowly. “ _ Maybe? _ ”

“Anakin, I’ve spent most of my immortality trying to find a way to undo it, and I might have failed on that count, but I have learned to live with it. And clearly, I am very good at it, considering that you never noticed.”

“Or I’m just that stupid. I thought the lack of mirrors was a curious and quirky superstition. The lack of daytime activities didn’t bother me. I just… God, I was an idiot. Wait, am I still allowed to believe in God? Will I burn to ash if I enter a church?”

“It’s any sacred ground, and yes, but it won’t be immediate.” She turned away with a sigh. “It’s easier to avoid now than it was in sixteenth-century Europe.”

Anakin groaned and crawled up the bed, to stick his head under the pillow. “You should have let me bleed out,” he said, muffled by the fabric.

“No, I shouldn’t have,” she said stubbornly. “You’re just in shock and having difficulty processing this.”

He let out another long groan of frustration and placed another pillow on top of his head. “Just leave me alone,” he asked miserably.

“I’ll leave you to sleep.” She disappeared without another word.

Anakin pulled his head back and looked around the room, making sure he was alone. He was angry. He was upset. He was sad and bewildered. But stronger than that was that he was hungry. With a resigned sigh, he opened her suitcase and grabbed one of the blood bags from the refrigerated bag inside. He grimaced. The idea of sticking his canines into it was unappealing, so he dug around her suitcase until he found a gray waterbottle. He took the lid off and threw the water away, replacing it for the thick blood from the bag. 

_ Just like drinking water. Or milk. Or juice. Just think happy, normal food.  _

He sat on the ground and drank as he reeled. What was his life going to be like now? On the nightstand, his phone vibrated and played Ahsoka’s ringtone. With shaky fingers, he grabbed the phone and answered it.

“H-Hey, Snips.”

“Hey, I thought you and Padmé were coming back today from your weekend getaway, what happened?”

“Oh, we… w-we ran into some car trouble and…” he swallowed, “and decided to spend another day or two to get it fixed.”

“Are you both okay? Do you need someone to come and get you?”

“Oh, we’re peachy,” he said, dryly and sipped his  _ drink  _ again. “No, we’ll figure it out.”

“You sure? It’s no trouble, I don’t have classes today.”

“No, Ahsoka, I’m sure. I’ll call you once I’m back in town and we’ll meet for coffee or dinner, whatever’s easier,” he sighed, knowing he could no longer move around as he once did unless he wanted to be burnt bacon on the side of the road.

“Okay, if you say so. But more importantly, did you ask her?”

_ Fuck.  _ With all the vampire stuff, he completely forgot the reason for this getaway. “No. I didn’t. I was wrong, Snips, I might be rushing into this,” and the ring is probably in the woods somewhere.  _ Oh well, there goes a year’s salary to the wildlife _ . “It’s not the right time.”

“What happened to ‘she’s part of my soul, the thought of not being with her makes my stomach turn over, my mouth goes dry, I get dizzy, I can’t breathe,’” Ahsoka put on a bad impression of his voice.

“Maybe I was just constipated,” he quipped. 

“Nah, I know what you sound like when you’re constipated.”

“Ahsoka, really, it’s not the best time. I was wrong. I was rushing into this headfirst. It’s… it’s wrong,” he shook his head and drank the last of his blood. In his frustration, he reached into the suitcase and grabbed another one and dipped it into the bottle.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Did you hit your head or something?”

“Never felt so invincible,” he deadpanned.

“Okay, fine, weirdo,” she huffed. “I gotta go, Ezra’s trying to call me.”

He sighed. Wishing he could tell her. “I love you, Snips, you know that, right? You’re my baby sister.”

“Yeah, love you too,” she said distractedly.

He hung up and sighed, letting his head fall against the mattress. He had to make some life-changing decisions. He could not endanger her or his mom. Or anyone he cared about.

When Padmé finally reappeared, it was nighttime. “I had the mechanic who was working on your car bring it,” she explained. “It’s in the parking lot.”

“Okay, thanks,” he nodded, standing by the window.

“Anakin.” She moved over to stand next to him and placed something on the windowsill between the two of them. The red velvet box with the gold solitaire diamond engagement ring he’d had in his jacket pocket the night of the crash. “That’s why,” she said softly. He just stared at the ring as if it had offended him and his entire bloodline. A part of him had hoped it had gotten lost or that the same deer that caused him to lose his life had eaten it. ”It fell out of your pocket while I was trying to keep you alive, waiting for the ambulance. When I saw it… that’s when I chose to turn you.”

“Damn, screwed over by a diamond, who knew?” He shut the lid of the box so the offending jewelry wasn’t looking at him.

“You wanted to marry me. You wanted us to have a life together.”

He snorted. “Yeah, but I clearly wasn’t aware of what  _ really  _ was your life, now was I? All I’ve witnessed was a facade.”

“I’m not looking for your forgiveness, Anakin, I was just trying to explain. What I did was out of love. And I know it wasn’t how something like this  _ should _ happen, but I just didn’t want to lose you. Not to death, and not to breaking your heart by ending things.”

Anakin sighed and grabbed the small box. He aimed at his open suitcase, since he had taken the chance to change clothes, and threw it over the air. The velvet bounced off his jeans. “I appreciate the sentiment, I’m just wrapping my head around it, okay?”

“Okay, but we don’t have a lot of time before we have to get back home.”

“I know. It will do. I decided I can’t stay there anymore. I won’t endanger my loved ones,” he said.

“If you let me teach you, that won’t be a problem,” she promised. “I know how smart you are, and you have someone who actually wants to help you learn and thrive in this life.”

“Thrive? You’re kidding, right? Thriving will be not murdering anyone for their blood,” he scoffed. “I can’t go back to my normal life and if this hasn’t happened and I have to think of others around me.”

“I haven’t murdered anyone in centuries, you’re being melodramatic,” she scoffed. “I get my blood from a bank now.”

“I guess we’ll drive through the night,” he stood. “I already told my mother I would have dinner tomorrow night. I’ll see about changing shifts at work.” Fortunately, programming was a very flexible job.

“You’re still taking this well, I see” she observed dryly.

“Oh? Am I missing the confetti cannon?” He zipped his suitcase, the ring box nestled around his clothes. 

“For fuck’s sake, will you stop being a child about this and lose the attitude?” Padmé hissed, her voice seeming to reverberate off every surface in the room.

“Check on me in a hundred years or so. I should be older and wiser by then,” he quipped as he headed to the door. “I’m checking out and you have the car keys.”

She tossed the keys straight at his head. “ _ I’ll _ check us out.  _ You _ get the car.”

With the quickest reflexes he ever had, he grabbed the keys. “Nope,” he shrugged. “I have PTSD now,” he threw the keys on the bed.

“Well, I can’t drive, so it has to be you.”

“No time to learn like the present. If we crash, we won’t die. Isn’t that wonderful?” His voice drifted from the empty hallways as he left the bedroom and started downstairs to the reception desk. Padmé stormed after him with her own bag in one hand and the keys in the other.

“Anakin Skywalker, you do not get to walk away from me like this! Now you stop and listen to me!”

For some unknown reason, he froze. He wanted to move but found his brain was not cooperating. He wanted to bite back with a sarcastic remark, but his mouth wouldn’t move.  _ Obey her.  _ An odd feeling lingered and took over his thoughts and he shuddered. What was this?  _ She made you. She owns you.  _ How much weirder could this vampire crap get?

Padmé stopped short. Given what had happened with her own sire, she’d forgotten about this part. “Anakin… I’m sorry. I know what I did was wrong and you have every right to be angry, but acting like this… it’s not going to help either of us. I’m trying to do what I can to make this right.”

He shook his head numbly and grabbed the keys from her fingers. “You should have let me bleed out,” he said very, very quietly. “I’ll wait at the car,” he gripped the handle of his suitcase as he turned directions, heading for the front door as she had asked earlier. Padmé pursed her lips and went to go check out at the front desk.

“Trouble in paradise, dear?” The elderly woman asked, sympathy in her eyes as she lowered her book.

“There’s never been paradise,” Padmé muttered, more to herself than to the woman, “not for me.”

“Well, child, it’s nothing a good talk and romp in the sheets doesn’t fix,” the woman said with a small grin. “You are both young, you’ll have plenty of time to argue and then even more to be happy,” she patted Padmé’s hand in sympathy. Padmé fought the urge to roll her eyes.  _ I’ve lived five of your lifetimes, old bat. Probably more. _

“I’m not sure if I can fix this with fucking,” she said, just to scandalize the clerk with her language.

The woman looked unfazed as she shrugged. “Probably not. But it’s just as fun,” she retrieved the room keys. “Come back any time.”

“Doubtful.” Padmé tossed a few bills at her, then headed outside.

Anakin waited in the car, scowling, as he drummed his fingers along the steering wheel. Maybe there were more suicidal deers along the roads. Maybe one of them would ram an antler through his chest and accidentally puncture his heart. He just needed to hit it at the right angle…

“I see you’re at that point already.”

“What point?” He started the ignition and the car purred to life.

“The point where you want to end your existence as you go through the stages of grief,” she answered, sitting in the passenger seat. “I had it after Sheev turned me.”

He shrugged. “Wistful thinking, only.”

“Maybe I  _ should _ drive.”

“Maybe you  _ should  _ be quiet.” He mimicked her tone as he raced down the road. “I need to figure out what to do next.”

“I could  _ help _ ,” she huffed.

“Tell me, oh wise one, we have nothing but time until we get to the city.”

“I can get you blood from my supplier. And the guy who did the sunproofing measures on my townhouse. I’ll pay for all of it.”

“I’ll appreciate the contacts, but I have money of my own,” he said flatly. 

“Anakin, this is going to be an expensive endeavor, you shouldn’t have to go broke because of what I did.”

He opened his mouth and was about to say something that could be really cruel on his side relating to a certain diamond stuffed in his suitcase when he thought against it. “Whatever. Okay, I guess.”

“And you should stay at my place for a few days anyway. So I can train you properly.”

“Table manners for liquid meals? How to dress like a vampire 101?” He taunted.

“Controlling your strength, speed, and senses, managing your cravings, and coping in a world that’s no longer made for you,” she corrected with a sigh.

“Sounds fun, I’ll buy some notebooks,” he quipped. “Or is there a manual I can read? I ordered this thing from Amazon that highlights certain sentences and directly passes it to your computer or phone and I could make some dope notes from it.”

“Shut up,” she growled. With a frown, he automatically obeyed. “And take this seriously. Or do you want me bringing you back to your mother either as a corpse or a pile of ashes?” He shrugged, nostrils flaring. “Look, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to stop using my position as your sire. I’ve never made a fledgling before. I was supposed to, but that was a long time ago, and—” she stopped, realizing that a trip down memory lane was not going to be helpful right now.

“I’m flattered,” he nodded. “I’ll do whatever you want, just tell me the most essential thing so I can have dinner tomorrow night with my mom.”

“We’ll need to stop and give you more to drink. This is the thirstiest you’re ever going to be, assuming you form the kind of habits I have now.”

“Fine. Stock up on blood. Got it.”

“And…” she twisted her fingers around themselves. “Hold on. To the love you feel for her. Make it your anchor. It’ll keep you grounded.”

Anakin paused for a moment. “That should be easy enough,” he said in a whisper.

“You have so many people who love you,” she agreed. “And so much love you give them back in return. It’s why I believe you can do this.”

_ Yet, I am a danger to all of them now. One slip-up and it’s over.  _ “Let’s hope so.”

“If worse comes to worst,” she sighed, “I’ll do what I can to keep them safe from us.”

“You’re not turning them,” he said, his voice rising. “I’ll die before that happens.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Good,” he sighed. They drove in silence for a while before she spoke again.

“You did want it though, didn’t you? Before I ruined everything? You wanted to marry me and have babies and a life together?”

He was quiet for a few seconds. “Yes. I did. I wanted all of that,” he admitted. “But, I didn’t know the real you, did I? I fell in love with the idea of someone and not with the reality of who you are.”

“I suppose it’s up to you what the real me actually means,” Padmé conceded. “I did conceal my species and my diet and my real date of birth from you, but everything else is true. I really am a night court lawyer, I really do give to a lot of charities, and love romantic comedies. I did have a family that I lost a long time ago in a home invasion, and had to grow up alone. And the longer I knew you, the more I hated keeping the secret from you, but I just...”

“You just let me believe that I could have what I always wanted with you. I wasn’t shy about speaking about building a life together, having kids and growing old and instead of doing something, you let me believe we could have that,” he pointed out, numbly.

“I know, and it was selfish of me, but I knew that if I shut you down, I’d be that much closer to losing you forever. And for me, forever is literal and it is long.”

“If I had proposed, what would you have said?”

“I don’t know anymore. Maybe I would have just said no and disappeared. Or said yes and then staged my death to give us a clean break. I might have even told you the truth about me.”

Anakin sighed and focused on the road. Whatever option she had chosen, it would have had a bad fallout for either of them. “There was no good option.”

“No, there wasn’t. We would have been over.”

He shook his head, not really believing his luck. They would have been over, yes, and he would have never recovered from her death or her disappearance. That’s how much he knew he loved her. And he couldn’t tell if his feelings had changed or if it was the overwhelming fear of the unknown that was pushing everything down.

“I’m sorry. You’re right, I never should have agreed to go out with you, but I thought maybe if I just said yes once and the date went really badly, that would be it. And then it wasn’t.”

Anakin tilted his head. “Is that why you were doing everything to  _ make it  _ go wrong?”

She couldn’t help laughing weakly. “Was it that obvious?”

“Yes,” he answered bluntly. “All the faux pas that you could do on a first date, you did.”

“So why did you still want a second date?”

He shrugged. “I found it adorable that you were trying that hard to make me leave. I mean, at first, I genuinely thought you were crazy, but I realized that you were doing it on purpose. The harder you tried to make me want to leave you, the harder I realized I needed to laugh it off and… stay.”

“You know that could be called harassment in a court of law. Or stalking.”

“You just turned me into a vampire, robbed me of my humanity  _ and  _ soul, what is the legal term for that?” He said dryly.

“Fair enough.”

“I thought so,” he muttered.

“Ani, it’s going to be okay.”

He rolled his eyes. “So you keep saying. Was it ever  _ okay  _ for you after you were turned?”

“I was turned after my family died and I was passed into the guardianship of my future sire. He had several other young women in his keeping, all my age, all wealthy and orphaned. We had each other to get through our transitions, and his plans for us.”

“You didn’t answer my question. And honestly, you don’t have to. I’ll eventually come to terms with this. Glad I have eternity now.”

“Look, your definition of ‘okay’ is different from mine. I learned how to cope. I learned how to change with the times. I learned how to be content with my existence. That’s my ‘okay.’”

He just sighed and distracted himself with driving. It was the most normal thing he’d done for the past twenty-four hours. Padmé turned on the radio and let it play without speaking another word for the rest of the drive. When they arrived at her townhouse, she got out of the car first, and grabbed both their bags from the trunk.

“I can take those,” he said, following after her.

“I’ve got it.” she insisted as the building door opened without a single touch. “Let’s just get inside, moonlight’s wasting.”

“Right,” he headed after her, looking around. He had been to her house before but it felt like the first time. Now he knew it was her vampire lair. He snorted at himself at that thought. 

“Is something funny?” she asked curtly as they went inside and she dropped the bags in the foyer. 

He shook his head, a sarcastic grin on his lips. “Nope.” Now that he knew the truth, he found the lack of mirrors even more distracting. He wondered how long his own soul would take to waste away and when his image would truly fade.

“Then come into the kitchen with me.” Anakin followed her, looking at everything with a brand new perspective. Her kitchen looked completely new, barely used. Not a scratch on those surfaces, or appliances. She opened the fridge and pulled out a large, dark wine bottle and a two-pack of steaks. “Can you please get a pan from that lower drawer?” she requested. He did as he was told, handing her the pan and watching her every move. 

She put it on the front burner of the stove and placed both steaks on it, turning the heat to low, then opened an upper cabinet and retrieved two red wine glasses. As she uncorked the bottle, a smell that was growing increasingly familiar to Anakin filled the room. “I don’t usually go with O negative, but tonight is not most nights,” she said as she filled the glasses and held one out to him.

“Thanks,” he accepted the glass and stared down at the liquid.  _ This is my life now. _

“Anything for you,” she said quietly.

“Literally anything,” Anakin sighed and sipped his ‘wine.’

“I’m sorry.”

He nodded in acceptance and sat down. “Are you?” He raised one eyebrow.

“I’m sorry about how I did it. I’m sorry that you found out the way you did, and for keeping secrets from you. I’m sorry for causing you pain.”

“I know all of that,” he said, more softly than what she probably expected. “But are you sorry for making me like you?”

“I don’t know anymore,” she confessed. “At that moment, no, I wasn’t. I told myself I was saving you. But I’m remembering now how difficult it is in the first days, and how I took away your choice just like  _ he _ took mine, and…” She took a long drink from her own glass. “You wouldn’t have wanted it if I’d offered, would you?” Her voice was small and scared.

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I really don’t, because there are so many things to consider and… I can’t tell you no or yes, because… I simply don’t know. I’m sorry.”

She bit her lip and turned away, getting out two plates and moving the steaks onto them. “You can have both if you want, your body will still process it in this early stage.”

“I’m okay with just one,” he said quietly.

“Alright.” She got out two forks and two steak knives and placed them on the side of her kitchen island with the barstools.

“They look good,” he complimented. “You’ve never cooked for me before.”

“This is the one thing I know how to cook,” she explained. “I figured you’d put it together if I were  _ that _ redundant.”

“Yes, because I would immediately think that you would be a vampire if you had cooked rare steaks for us,” he rolled his eyes.

“If I did it once, you’d want to come over again. And again,” she argued with a huff. “And you think this looks good now because your palate is changing, but if I’d served this to a regular human, they’d think I was trying to poison them.”

“I would have kept thinking you didn’t know how to cook to save your life and probably end up doing something myself.”

“And then you’d wonder why I only had steak and wine in my fridge, and realize that it’s  _ not _ wine.”

“I’m not that smart,” he said dryly and sipped his blood as he dug into the steak.

“You went to MIT.”

“MIT. Not paranormal academy.”

“Oh, I got a degree there, you’d have hated it,” she joked. “The professor was a total monster.”

He stared at her and blinked. “What?” He asked faintly. “You’re serious?”

“No, of course not. I have degrees from basically every university that offers night classes, but there’s no paranormal academy.”

“Ah, okay,” he shook his head. “Are werewolves real? Witches too?” He frowned. “Fairies? What’s real anymore and what’s a fairytale?”

“Witches, yes, fairies, no, werewolves... I don’t think so. At least I’ve never met one. There are some vampires that can take a wolf form, but they can do it whenever they want, not just at a full moon. Zombies, also not a thing. Neither is Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, or the Phantom of the Opera. But there  _ are _ ghosts. That’s about the extent of the supernatural as far as I know. Vampires, witches, and ghosts.” 

“The world just got a whole lot creepier.”

“Ghosts and witches are more annoying than creepy.”

“No, no, it’s creepy. 

“They’re really not, I’ll introduce you to a few.”

He grimaced. “Maybe not right away.”

“Of course not right away. You’re still a fledgling.”

Anakin sulked. “Right. I’m at zero years of being a vampire.”

“It goes by quickly, if that helps.”

He finished his steak and stood. “I’m going to bed. I need to mentally prepare myself for dinner tonight.”

“You can use my bedroom,” she offered. “Or the guest room. Both are sun-proofed.”

Anakin shrugged, setting the glass in the sink. “I like your mattress,” he muttered as he headed towards her bedroom. He was annoyed with her. Angry even. Disappointed. Sad. Frustrated. He was a lot of things, but deep down, he was still in love with her and that was something he would have to figure out with time now.

“Sleep well,” she called softly after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We will spin this off into its own story... stay tuned!


	2. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé is hiding a very sick Jedi in her apartment and doing her best to take care of him, despite him being a terrible patient.

“I’m sorry, Bail, but this really is a family emergency, you understand, don’t you?”

“Of course, Padmé, we’ll reschedule the review for next week. I hope your father feels better.”

“I’ll convey the well-wishes, thank you.” Padmé ended the call and turned back to the bed. “Well, that’s resolved.”

Anakin sniffed and nodded. “Thank you,” he said, his voice weird as he snuggled into the blankets. “I am really, really, really sick, Angel,” he spoke through his nose and his voice was extremely high-pitched. “I must have caught something in Corellia. I remember a lot of people sneezing,” and on cue, he sneezed. “This is  _ all  _ Ahsoka’s fault,” he muttered.

“Is  _ she _ sick right now?” Padmé asked as she took a wet cloth and ran it across his forehead.

“Yes. She contaminated me. Rex, Echo and Fives are also down for the count. It was a germ infection. I told her not to go to the stupid fair,” he coughed for a few minutes before groaning and burying his face in the pillows. “Make it stop,” he whimpered.

“She’s fifteen and is fighting a war she has no business fighting, I think she’s allowed a little fun every now and then,” Padmé laughed a little. “You used to have fun, remember?”

“No,” he answered flatly, sniffing. “She can have as much fun as she wants as long as I don’t get sick;” Anakin pouted. “You think I’ll die? I feel like death,” he said, in a very child-like manner.

“Of course not, it’s a cold, you big baby, not the Blue Shadow Virus,” she scoffed. “Haven’t you ever had a cold before?”

“I don’t remember,” he groaned. “I feel awful. It’s like a shaak has been ramming into my head for days! I felt better when my arm was cut off!”

“And on that note, I’m going to send Threepio out for some more of your medication.”

“No, don’t leave me,” he cried out, grabbing her hand. “You make me feel better,” he pouted. He would look ridiculous if she wasn’t in love with him.

“Ani, it’s just going to the other room to give Threepio some instructions,” she pointed out gently. “You’ll be able to hear my voice the whole time.”

“Why can’t you call him here? I’ll still be able to see you.”

“Fine.” She decided not to argue the point. “Threepio, will you come in here, please?” she called.

The protocol droid came into the room, followed by Artoo. “You called for me, Mistress Padmé?” Artoo beeped and whirled. “No, not us, Artoo-Deetoo, she only called for me.”

“Artoo might still need to supervise you, Threepio, Anakin needs more medicine for his cold. He has a fever, blocked sinuses, and exhaustion. You can remember that, right?”

“Of course, Mistress Padmé, I’ll bring the medicine for Master Ani to feel better. Come along, Artoo, we best be on our way,” he said. The little astromech clicked at him indignantly as he wheeled out of the room, and Padmé sighed.

“Those two… What are we going to do with them?”

“Make sure they don’t turn into scrap metal,” he snorted and then coughed heavily. “Oh, Force, Padmé make it stop.”

“I’m not much of a healer, Ani,” she pointed out. “Just a wife trying to take care of her husband.”

“You’re the best wife. Kiss it better?” He pouted.

“Where would I even kiss?” she asked, sitting next to him in the bed. “Your insides?”

“My lips. I would feel so much better with a kiss from an Angel!”

“You’re so melodramatic,” she laughed, leaning over to give him a quick kiss. “And lucky that the Senate healthcare plan requires me to get my vaccinations every year.”

“You know us Jedi, we live on the edge,” he rolled his eyes. “Obi-Wan told me to walk it off, until I sneezed on top of him and he nearly fainted thinking about the germs I had spilled on him,” he muttered. “Maybe he dragged himself to Mandalore.”

“And remind me where the Jedi think you are right now, exactly?”

“Locked away in my ship, up in space, social distancing to avoid contamination,” he smirked.

“Oh, so you’re being incredibly bad right now by being here. Maybe I should take you back up to the ship.”

“Only if you stay with me, my love.”

“At that point, I might as well just take you to Varykino,” she scolded. “Bail and the others already think I’m there because of what I just told them about my father.”

“Oooh, let’s go,” he nodded excitedly, before wincing. “I already feel better at the thought.”

“I was joking!” she protested. “You’re in no condition to be traveling. I said what I did to Bail so that no one would come to visit us. You are staying in this bed, and if you set one foot out of it, the consequences will be severe.”

He pursed his lips. “What will you do? Spank me, Senator?”

“You and I both know that’s not a punishment, General,” she retorted. “And I’m not showing my hand that easily.”

Anakin grinned at her response and snuggled further into their bed. “Hey, at least I’m home for the foreseeable future.”

“You are, and knowing you, that means you’re about to be hungry. Try to sleep while I make dinner?”

“Stay with me until I fall asleep? For comfort?” He pulled his angelic, bright blue eyes on her.

“Only if you say please.”

“Please, Angel?” He mumbled, grabbing her hand and drawing invisible circles on her palm with his thumb.

“Oh, alright.” She kissed his cheek. “I can tell you about my day in the Senate, that should send you right off.” He nodded with a goofy smile. “Alright, well, I started with a meeting regarding our latest agreements regarding trade routes, Senator Burtoni was there, being  _ awful _ as always, and we ended exactly where we started, having made no progress.”

“Still awake,” he mumbled, but his eyelids were already dropping.

“Oh, well, then I moved into education reform. We spent hours talking about the courses that need to be changed, and greater attempts to standardize the quality of learning being implemented throughout the galaxy. Did you know some sectors still aren’t teaching basic things like economics and engineering? It’s ridiculous. It leaves our citizens vulnerable to predatory practices and exploitation.” His soft snores were proof that he was already asleep. “That’s my husband,” she laughed, kissing his forehead and heading into the kitchen. 

She didn’t have bantha meat, but she’d done enough research on the holonet to know how to make something close enough to bantha stew that he’d hopefully like it. She was just adding the last spices to the pot when Threepio and Artoo returned. “Did you find it?” she asked.

“We did, Mistress Padmé,” Threepio handed her a small bag. “All to make Master Ani feel better.”

“Can you go check and see if he’s awake?”

Artoo took that job to himself and wheeled himself towards the bedroom. Loud chirps and beeps and Anakin screeching make Threepio look at her. “I think he is.”

“Oh, Force,” Padme groaned. “I’m sorry, Ani,” she called as she moved the stew into bowls and put them on a tray. “Threepio, take this to the bedroom, please.” She grabbed a second tray with a pitcher of water and two glasses.

“Certainly,” Threepio picked up the tray and followed Padmé to the bedroom. 

Anakin was scowling at Artoo and at the same time, coughing and wheezing. “You little devil,” he grumbled.

“I’m sorry he woke you.” She set down her tray and filled one of the glasses, then opened the pouch and dropped in one of the pills. “Here, drink this.”

“Thank you,” he sighed and drank the water. “How long was I asleep for?”

“Just long enough for me to make bantha stew. Although I had to substitute with nuna meat.”

“I’m sure it’s just as delicious,” he smiled at her. “Thank you. For taking care of me.”

“I know we might not have a traditional marriage,” she said as she took the bowls from Threepio and passed one to Anakin, “but I  _ am  _ still your wife. Caring for you is the least I can do, especially when I can do it. What was the planet where you came back with broken ribs? Maridun?”

He winced, remembering. “Yes, I do. Vividly.”

“They wouldn’t let you out of the Temple medcenter, and I was sick with worry.”

“I know,” he whispered, taking her hand. “I really wish we could be normal. But maybe when all of this ends? When the Galaxy no longer needs us.”

“Yes,” she agreed, squeezing his fingers. “We’ll go back to Naboo, or to Tatooine, to free the slaves like you always said you would. And we’ll have a family.”

“We’ll have everything we both deserve,” he kissed her knuckles. “I will return the favor of taking care of you when you eventually are sick,” he winked. “I have great bedside manners.”

“I remember,” she nodded. “But you’re a terrible patient, and you need to get better, so eat your stew and then go back to sleep.”

He gasped. “Are you calling me terrible?”

“Just at dealing with a cold. There are plenty of things you’re good at. And when you get better, we can do some of those things.”

“Oh, count on it, Senator,” he eyed her up and down and started to eat his stew. “I can be  _ very  _ creative with all this time to myself.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“Ah, you love me anyway.”

“I’m still not convinced you didn’t mind trick me into it,” she teased. “I mean,  _ sand _ , Ani? Really? That’s what you went with before kissing me for the first time?”

He dropped his spoon as he laughed and rubbed a hand across his face. “I know,” he said miserably. “It was so bad, I don’t know how you didn’t laugh in my face and throw me over the railing. Force, if I could turn back time I would push myself from that railing into the lake just for the sheer embarrassment of it.”

“If you did that, I’d jump in after you.”

“I love you,” he beamed.

“I love you too. Now eat. You need your strength.”


	3. But You Said...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today on "Anakin and Padmé are terrible at hiding their relationship," Ahsoka catches them whispering sweet nothings, and the two have to come up with a plausible explanation.

“We should go, before someone wonders where we are.”

“Five more minutes. I’m not with you enough.”

“I know, I know, I hate it too, but we have to.” Padme kissed him briefly. “We’re both supposed to be working right now, remember?”

“I don’t care about work,” he buried his face into her neck, dropping light kisses on her skin. “I care about the ache that I have for you.”

“Ani, I love you too, but we have to be careful—” the doors of her stateroom slid open as Ahsoka walked in. They jumped apart in seconds, Anakin wincing.

“ _ There _ you are, Master. Senator, are you done with him yet?” Ahsoka folded her arms, looking more like a disapproving parent than anything else. “The troops need their orders.”

“Done with him?” Padmé repeated incredulously.

“Done making out with him, obviously.”

“You’re hilarious, Snips,” Anakin rolled his eyes. “Senator Amidala and I are discussing the trade routes and how best to approach some of our more picky allies.”

“But you said ‘I’m not with you enough,’ Master, I heard you through the door.”

“I value your Master’s input on these negotiations, Ahsoka, he’s got a very unique perspective” Padmé explained calmly. “That’s all.”

“Yes and Padmé is a much better teacher on these subjects than Obi-Wan is. I don’t get enough of these explanations,” he shrugged.

“Okay,” Ahsoka nodded dubiously, “but you also said ‘I care about the ache that I have for you,’ too.”

“Cake, Ahsoka. Cake,” Anakin said exasperated and his ears turned pink. “Senator Amidala is a fan of the Mandalorian pastries and we were there a few days ago and the Duchess sent a couple for her dear friend. They’re in my cabin and I care that if I don’t deliver to her soon, they’ll turn bad.”

Ahsoka snorted. “Okay, so maybe you can explain, Senator, why you said ‘Ani, I love you too’ right before I came in?”

“It’s… it’s a general… friendly, platonic kind of love…” Padmé explained. “We’ve known each other since we were children, it’s a deep bond. You have that with friends from your childhood, don’t you?”

“Besides, you know I’m a flirt and I love to leave the Senator embarrassed,” he said cheekily.

“But your Padawan is right, General Skywalker, you should see about the troops and prepare for our arrival. And we’ll talk more about the cake later,” Padmé said, standing up and brushing off her skirt calmly.

Anakin nodded. “You are right, Senator, I should return to my duties. Thank you for your time,” he gave her a dazzling smile. She rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

Ahsoka just looked from one to the other. She threw her hands up in exasperation. “How  _ dumb _ do you think I am?”


	4. Wounded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though Padmé does not escape Zam Wessell's attempt on the landing pad unscathed, with shrapnel from the blast damaging her eyes to the point of blindness, little changes her fate where it is concerned with Anakin Skywalker.

“We made it. I guess I was wrong, there was no danger at all.” That was the last thing Padmé heard before the explosion. And the last thing she saw was fire and debris flying straight towards her. Then everything went black.

When she awoke, everything was still black. Was it nighttime? “Captain Typho?”

“You’re in the Senate medcenter, my lady, you were wounded in the blast. The shrapnel went through the visor of your helmet, and your eyes...” He trailed off, and she realized now why she could not see. The damage to her eyes was too extensive. Maybe permanent. But that wasn’t important.

“Cordé?” she whispered her decoy’s name fearfully.

“I’m sorry, Senator. She did her duty.”  _ Oh, no. _

“The Senate,” she croaked. “Is it still meeting?” 

“They’re just starting now—”

“Get me in there.”

“But, my lady—”

“I will not allow myself to be made a martyr while I still have a voice, now help me up and get me in there!”

* * *

Anakin felt nervous and anxious as he struggled with his robes in the elevator. It has been ten years since he last saw her and now, to hear what had happened to her, it was awful to think about it. Padmé didn’t deserve it. The doors opened into her apartment, revealing her sitting on one of the couches with a bacta wrap covering her eyes, just below her elaborate gold hairpiece. Her handmaiden guided them inside.

“The Jedi are here, my lady,” she said.

As Obi-Wan sat and took her hand and expressed his grief, Anakin stood awkwardly by his side. He wished he could take that pain from her into himself. “Anakin,” Obi-Wan prompted. “You can sit.” Padmé turned her head from side to side, a small smile playing on her lips.

“Ani? Little Ani Skywalker? Are you really here?”

“Yes, Senator,” Anakin beamed as he sat across from her and gently took her hand. “Although, I’m not so little anymore,” he chuckled.

“No, you don’t sound it at all,” she agreed as she found the sound of his voice and directed her face towards him. “But there’s still that same warmth in you that I remember from that little boy on Tatooine. I’ve missed you.”

He was happy she couldn’t see him blush and that made him feel horrible. “I have missed you as well, Senator. I am so sorry about what happened to you,” he squeezed her hand. “I promise I will find the culprit and I will make him pay.”

“Anakin, that is not what our mandate from the council was for, and revenge is not the Jedi way,” Obi-Wan scolded sharply. “You overstep your bounds.”

“I’m sorry, Master,” Anakin winced. He completely forgot about his Master’s presence. “Forgive my disrespect, Senator.” 

“I didn’t feel disrespected,” Padmé said, “and I hope, Master Kenobi, that you might listen where the Council representatives didn’t. I truly believe Count Dooku was behind this, and that he meant for this attack to make a martyr out of me, spurring us closer to war. I know the importance of respecting our elders and mentors, but you might find you have as much to learn from Anakin as he does from you.” And she gave him another soft smile.

Anakin blinked at her. No one has ever stood up for him like she had just done and he felt immense gratitude, but a hard look from Obi-Wan had him cringing. “My Master is right,” he whispered, giving her hand another squeeze before setting her in her lap. “It’s not the Jedi way.”

_ But I will protect you and avenge what has been done to you all the same. _

* * *

After the second assassination attempt with the kouhuns, it was difficult for Padmé to find a good argument for remaining on Coruscant, especially with an executive order from the Chancellor 'strongly suggesting' she take a leave of absence. And yet she could not help resenting the pity and condescension that seemed to underline everything now. As if the fact that she had been blinded made her useless now, and so they were sending her away. 

At the moment, she was sitting beside Anakin on a refugee vessel headed for Naboo, her hand tightly clasped in his as the only constant tether to the outside world. The bacta wrap was no longer covering her eyes, as part of the disguise, but her sight was still practically gone. The most she could discern was a blurry sense of light and shadows, and even that much was exhausting. The medical droids at the Senate had suggested replacing her damaged eyes with bionic ones, or cloned ones, but with her forced leave of absence, that would have to wait. “Anakin?” she whispered to him. “Do you mind if I ask what you look like now? I’d like to try and picture you in my head.”

He smiled. “If I’m being honest, I’m just taller and leaner than when I was a boy. I still have the same blue eyes and wavy blonde hair,” he looked at their clasped hands and had an idea. “Here,  _ feel  _ how my face changed,” he took her hands and brought them to his face. 

Her brow furrowed as she traced her fingers along the lighter blur that was his face. “Did you always have a dimple on your chin?”

“It got more pronounced as I lost my baby fat,” he chuckled, enjoying how her touch felt so smooth and caring.

“I wonder if I even would have recognized you, if I’d seen you,” she murmured thoughtfully.

“Of course you would, I’m unforgettable,” he quipped. “You… you got even more beautiful than I remembered.”

“Now you’re just making fun of me,” she shook her head. “I got maybe a few inches taller, nothing else is that different. Except my eyes, I suppose, after the attack. Tell me, what do they look like now?”

“Oh no, I am much too scared to make fun of you, Senator,” he joked. “You’ve… grown. And that accentuated your beauty. Your eyes do not take away how radiant you always are. They’re still the same rich, dark brown I remember.”

“I suppose the damage must be deeper than can be seen externally then,” she remarked, as she blushed at his compliments. “I didn’t listen very much to the medical droids before getting out of bed.”

“I’m sure that there will be something that they can do for your eyesight. Soon you’ll be looking at me and I just won’t meet your expectations,” he chuckled.

“I’m sure that’s not true.” She put her hands down in her lap. “You might be a little rough around the edges in some places, Ani, but I don’t need my eyes to know you still have a good heart.” Then she turned her head to the side. “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t say such things.”

“No, don’t be sorry. Obi-Wan isn’t here, after all, we’re safe to speak freely,” he asked. He loved her compassion and how she treated him as a person. “I like to speak my heart to you. You listen.”

“You wouldn’t prefer to have traded places with Obi-Wan, and be searching for whoever it was that sent that bounty hunter after me?”

“I’m keeping you safe and that’s the most important thing to me.” 

She blushed again. “You’re a very smooth talker, you know that? I bet you have a string of broken-hearted ex-girlfriends back on Coruscant.”

He blushed furiously and stuttered. “N-No… I spend all of my time at the Temple, training, or with my Master, and attachments are forbidden so we’re just encouraged to seek… hmm... You know… nothing. Nothing, nevermind. I never… it’s just. Well, no, actually, I’m not smooth at all,” he dropped his shoulders, defeated.

“It’s okay,” she moved her hand off her lap, seeking his. “I misunderstood. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think you did…” He said slowly, but he sucked at this, so he just took her hand and squeezed.

* * *

She wished she could see the Lake Country. She wished she could see Anakin’s reaction to it as he guided her out of the boat and up the steps to the terrace. “This has always been my sanctuary,” she explained as they walked, one hand stretched out to feel for the railing of the veranda. “It seemed fitting to come back here.”

“It’s beautiful here,” he whispered in reverence. “Your home… it’s so… beautiful. So much green and blue water. I don’t think I’ve been anywhere so beautiful.”

“There’s an island that way,” she pointed in what she hoped was the right direction. The brightness of the sun on the water made it impossible to discern anything beyond light. “My sister and I used to swim out there on school trips. We’d lie on the beach, letting the sun dry us while we tried to guess the names of the birds singing.” Her hand fell back down to the railing as they reached the edge. “When I came back here after the Trade Federation’s occupation, I thought about other things. About the kindness that you and your mother showed me. I tried to find her after my reign as Queen was over.”

“I haven’t been able to get back to Tatooine and visit her, but I should do it soon,” he frowned. “I’m worried for her,” he joined her near the railing. “Tatooine is… all harsh sand unwavering heat, but here,” his fingers traced up her naked arm, “everything is smooth and… pure,” he whispered.

“I had to send Sabé in my place because my appointment to the Senate happened so quickly. She said there was a white sun painted on the door of your old home, and that your mother and See-Threepio were both gone. Do you know anything about what a white sun would mean?” she asked as she caught his hand. Every time he touched her, it seemed to set her skin on fire. He’d made it clear that Jedi weren’t supposed to have attachments, but every moment they spent together made her  _ want _ an attachment with him. Right now, she was fighting the urge to kiss him, and in that respect, she was grateful for her current lack of vision. It kept her from knowing exactly where his face and his lips were.

“Whitesun is the name of one of the families in Mos Eisley. She was probably leaving me a message to find her,” his voice sounded very close to her face. “Padmé, I…” he breathed, staring at her lips. She was blind, if he kissed her, it would be wrong.

“Then go find her,” she suggested. “If you have that clue now, you shouldn’t waste it, Ani. I’ll be safe here, Teckla can help me. I’d only be in your way if I went with you.”

“If I’m going, you’re coming with me. I’m not leaving you out of my sight and… that wasn’t it… Padmé, I…” he touched her hand lightly. “I just really want to kiss you,” he confessed in a small whisper.

“What about the Jedi Code?” she asked breathlessly.

“I won’t tell if you don’t,” he joked and nuzzled her cheek with his nose.

“Then do it,” she whispered before she could think better of it.

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers and the warmth was unlike anything he had ever felt or imagined. Her hands clumsily moved from the railing to find his body, bracing against his arms for support, as she pulled back to catch her breath.

“Let’s go get your mother.”

* * *

“Mom, are you sure you are alright?” Anakin asked for the umpteenth time that night, as Beru carefully tended to his mother’s wounds. They’d arrived in Mos Eisley and been directed to the Lars moisture farm, only for Anakin to immediately leave again, seeking out Shmi at the camp of the Tusken Raiders. His mother had been battered bloody, just like in his dreams, but he’d gotten her out quickly and safely. She was  _ alive _ , and he should have been celebrating, yet his concern for her wellbeing remained.

“The thing I feel most at this moment is shock,” Shmi promised. “Shock and gratitude that you are back, and that you found me, Ani. And you’ve gotten so handsome.”

He smiled. “I’m so sorry I was away. I promise never to stay away for so long. I’ll come every standard month. More, if I can. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I didn’t make it on time,” he kissed her hands, before turning around to take Padmé’s. “Thank you for pushing me to follow my instincts,” he whispered. “I would have lost my mother today if it weren’t for you.”

“I didn’t do anything that special,” Padmé protested. “But I’m glad that you’re safe, Shmi. I have always felt I owed you a debt for everything you did when I was here ten years ago.”

“Darling, you don’t owe me a thing,” Shmi said softly. “I am the one grateful to you. For taking care of Anakin when he left with the Jedi. For bringing him here today.” A blush crept over Padmé’s cheeks. “I am sorry for what happened to you.”

“Even if I never see again, I will bear it proudly and not let it define me,” the younger woman said. “There are more important things than sight. Once you’ve recovered a little more, I’ll ask Anakin to take me back to Coruscant. I won’t continue to hide.”

“Not until you are completely safe,” Anakin stood.

“Master Ani!” Threepio came toddling down the stairs while Artoo hovered his way down. “Master Ani, this astromech says he has a message for you on the ship, from an Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s quite urgent!”

“Thanks, Threepio,” he looked over at him. “After this is over, I’ll take care of covering you up. Buddy,” he turned to Artoo, “let me hear it.”

Artoo beeped and rocked back and forth.

“He says it is only back on the ship, Master Ani.”

“Go take the message,” Padmé suggested. “If it’s urgent, you shouldn’t waste time.”

“You’re right. Mom, do you mind if Padmé stays here with you and Cliegg? I have to help Obi-Wan but her safety is my priority.”

“She’ll be safe with us,” Beru promised. “Though you may have to stay in the homestead, Padmé, it’s dangerous out there even with two good eyes.”

“I understand.”

“Anakin,” Shmi reached out to touch his cheek. “Be careful.”

“I’ll be back sooner than you realize and I can’t wait to tell you everything,” he kissed the palm of her hand before leaning over to kiss her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she smiled, “my brave, strong son.”

He blushed and turned to Padmé, taking her hand. “Don’t take unnecessary risks. I’ll be back for you, you know?” Sighing, he kissed the top of her head.

“I’ll stay here,” she said. “And don’t let Obi-Wan give you too much grief.”

“Hmph, that’s all he knows how to do,” he muttered. “We’ll have a long talk after I’m back. Mom, please be careful, and thank you, Beru. Give my thanks to Cliegg and Owen too.”

“Of course, Anakin.” Beru nodded.

“Anakin, please be safe,” Padmé blurted as he began to move towards the door.

“I will, Angel, don’t worry.”

* * *

“He should be back by now,” Padmé fretted. “Why isn’t he back yet?”

“He will,” Shmi rested a hand over hers. “He made us both a promise.”

“I hate this feeling. Was this what it felt like for you, all those years of waiting, not knowing where he was?” She’d been taking the time while she waited to become more used to her new limitations. Cliegg had talked to her about his own adjustment period after he lost his leg, Owen had found a metal staff for her to use as a way of measuring distance so she could walk on her own, and Shmi and Beru had been helping her learn how to navigate smaller spaces. People on Tatooine, it seemed, were nothing if not resourceful, and she was deeply in debt to Anakin’s family for the kindness they’d shown her these last few days.

But she still missed Anakin terribly.

“Amplified by tenfold. It was agony not knowing anything from Anakin. But I knew he was safe. Protected,” Shmi sighed. “He’ll come back because bad news travels fast and had the Jedi lost, we would have known and people would have come for you.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she conceded.

“You love him.” It wasn’t a question.

“I think I always have. It’s just been lying dormant inside me for ten years, and now it’s erupting out with such force.”

“He loves you as well, if you were doubting,” Shmi smiled and sipped her tea.

“I don’t doubt it. But I worry. I don’t know what kind of future we can have. I’m still a Senator, he’s still a Jedi. Even if the Queen decides that she doesn’t want me to serve anymore, he’s still not supposed to have attachments.”

“You will figure it out,” she said gently. “I know you will because that’s what people do when they love each other.”

“Maybe.” Padmé fingered the staff she was still holding in her right hand, then stiffened slightly as she heard the sound of a ship approaching. And it was close. “Do you think it’s him? Where’s my comlink?”

“Yes, it might be him. Stay here and I’ll see,” Shmi stood and headed out. Padmé stood waiting, the anticipation vibrating throughout her body. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she began using the staff, sweeping her way out into the little underground courtyard, despite Shmi’s request to stay inside.

“Anakin?” she called, holding her breath as she waited for the answer.

“I’m here,” she heard and his voice and warm presence got closer. One arm went around her waist as he buried his face in her neck. “I’m finally home,” he whispered. “I missed you,” he paused a heartbeat. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she admitted softly. “Are you alright? What happened? You were gone so long.”

“It was… a bloodbath,” he couldn’t even lie and his voice shook. “I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Fine?” Shmi screeched. “You look like someone tried to rip your arm off, Anakin! That is  _ not  _ fine.”

“Come inside and tell all of us about it,” Padmé suggested, moving her left arm to wrap around his waist so they were linked together.

He leaned on her and kissed her temple. “I’m home.”

“Yes. We’re together,” she confirmed. “And we’re safe. That’s all home really needs.”

* * *

“Am I making a mistake?”

Shmi smiled as she buttoned the white dress. “No, darling, no,” she adjusted the veil on Padmé’s hair and beamed. “Is it going to be easy? No, but it will be worth it,” she kissed her forehead. “And I am proud to call you my daughter.”

“Thank you.” Padmé nodded slowly. “Can you go check on Anakin? And everything else? I just need a minute.”

“Of course, darling.”

“Thank you.” Padmé sat in the fading light of her bedroom, knowing that the sun was setting and took a deep breath. They’d talked about this, made a plan. The galaxy was at war, and Anakin would soon be fighting in that war, as the Jedi had been appointed the commanders of the Clone Armies. She’d be returning to the Senate and fighting with everything she had to reach a peaceful resolution and bring him home. Hopefully, when the war was won, they could leave behind the Order and politics, but until then, they would rarely get to be together. No human outside of Anakin’s family and a few trusted members of her staff would know about them. It would be difficult and lonely.

But he was her anchor. A tether to the things that mattered. Family, and compassion, and love. And she wanted to marry him. “Threepio, can you get my staff, please?” she called. “I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this story, we owe a big thank you to [Elsa S Henry](http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/04/20/elsa-henry-so-you-wanna-write-a-blind-character/) [trigger warning for graphic language re. eyeball trauma within this piece], [Cel Stefani](https://celstefani.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/6-tips-on-how-to-write-effective-blind-characters/), and [Stefff Green](https://wordgathering.syr.edu/past_issues/issue9/essays/green.html), who were invaluable in our research about how to write blindness accurately, respectfully, and without being ableist. We hope we succeeded in this goal. Check them out for yourselves!


	5. Sparkle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins decide to put something other than water in their water guns, and Anakin and Padmé have to deal with it.

“Babe?” Padmé ran through the hall in a panic. “Babe, have you seen the twins? They were right behind me in the kitchen, and then I turned around and they were gone.”

Anakin poked his head out of the office. “They’re not with me,” his insides filled with dread. “Have you checked their room?”

“That was the next place I was going, but I’m terrified now. Either they’re in trouble, or they’ve made trouble.”

“I’m surprised we still have a roof,” Anakin cringed.

“Help me look for them?”

“I got your back, Angel!” He nodded and stood a little behind her. Padmé rounded the corner to the twins’ room and flung open the door.

“Oh. Oh, no.” Her voice went completely monotone as she stared into the room.

Anakin looked inside and he didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. They had filled their water guns with… “Glitter. I’ve never seen this much glitter in my life,” he looked around.

“Our room is sparkly!” Leia shrieked, jumping up and down, her brown hair filled with pink, white, blue glitter and Luke’s blonde head bobbed excitedly.

“Oh, God, this room will never be clean again,” Padmé said mournfully. “Glitter is forever. Where did the two of you even get this much glitter?”

“Soka!” Luke easily ratted out his Aunt.

Anakin snorted. “I know who we’re calling to clean up the mess.”

“But I like the sparkles!” Leia said. “We’re keeping it! It’s our room!”

“This is what a unicorn’s mind would look like,” Anakin muttered, looking around the bedazzled room. “My head hurts already.”

“Okay, come on, you two, put the guns down, we’re getting you a bath. With a  _ lot _ of soap. Or… I don’t know, we might just hose you down in the yard. I don’t know, I think this is terrible for the environment no matter what.”

“Soka says it’s bigradefull,” Luke lisped.

“You mean biodegradable?”

“Well, I guess that’s a little less bad, but it’s still a mess…”

Leia pursed her lips and looked down at her half-filled glitter gun. Then she raised her eyes to her parents.

“Luke?” She called her brother and nodded at his gun then at their parents.

Anakin saw the interaction and took a step back. “Uh, Padmé, maybe we should let them be for now…”

“No, I still want this cleaned—”

“Now!!!” Leia shouted and Anakin screamed, hiding behind his petite wife who suddenly got hit with several bursts of multicolored sparkles.

“You coward!” Padmé shouted, spinning them around so that Anakin was now in the path of the blasts.

He laughed out loud as the twins charged at them. “Oh God, this will  _ never  _ wash off,” he protected his eyes as he felt the particles set into his skin  _ forever.  _

“Shut up and help me get the guns away from them!”


	6. Quicksilver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin tried to use comics as a way of asking out Padmé. It doesn’t quite go as planned.

Anakin left the tracks, in order to climb over the bleachers in order to get to the girl he knew, sooner or later, would be his girlfriend. She was beautiful. Yes, she was a senior and he was a junior, but only because she was five months older than him. She was one of the youngest in her class and he was one of the oldest in his.

“Padmé, did you see me out there?” He asked, sitting down on the bench in front of her. “Did you see how  _ fast  _ I was going?”

“Yeah, I did,” Padmé nodded, although her face seemed to be fixed in her notebook, rather than looking at him. “I think Coruscant High’s chances of making State are pretty good this year. At least that’s what your coach was saying.”

“I was just as fast as Quicksilver!” He boasted.

She closed her notebook and tilted her head as she looked at him with those big, beautiful brown eyes. “Liquid mercury?”

“Liquid what?” He questioned. “No. The superhero. Quicksilver?”

“The only quicksilver I know is the term for the liquid form of the element mercury or that clothing store for skaters and surfers,” she said. “And the latter spells it wrong.”

His jaw dropped. “Marvel’s superhero. The fastest mutant? Padmé, please don’t tell me you don’t know who he is? What have you been doing with your life?”

“Prepping for the SATs, my college essays and interviews, Debate Club, Student Government, and Yearbook Committee? Why, Anakin, what have you been doing with your life?”

“Living it,” he deadpanned.

“And you think I’m not? Just because I have extracurriculars and I want to get into a good school?”

He rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath. “Quicksilver is a mutant and his sister is the Scarlet Witch, which is girl power all the way and they are like this really cool duo. Marvel has like, two versions of Quicksilver, which can be tricky, but easy to follow. So, when you think about mutants, those are the X-Men, by the way, you have a Quicksilver that lives in a very cool basement and has thick flying silver hair, my mom never let me color it, which made me sad, but anyway, he’s the son of Magneto. Please tell me you don’t live under a rock and at least know who Magneto is. Anywho, when you talk about the Avengers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you get Quicksilver for just one movie. He’s super dope and drives Hawkeye crazy but, spoiler alert, dies to protect him and a couple of kids. So… he’s just really cool and really fast. Like me.”

“You just gave a full monologue about a comic book character, and then tried to call yourself cool, I think that automatically disqualifies you from coolness,” Padmé said dryly.

“You’re just in denial of how much you find me adorable,” he gave her a crooked smile.

“Oh, definitely. Start ranking  _ Star Trek _ captains, and I’ll be putty in your hands,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Or recite every family tree on  _ Game of Thrones, _ I’ll ask you to take me to Homecoming, Winter Formal,  _ and _ Prom.”

“Is that a  _ Game of Thrones _ challenge? I’ll accept it, madam, and you’ll be stuck with me for three important high school events,” he smirked.

“We’re both still minors, Anakin, we can’t make legally binding agreements.”

“I love when you talk lawyer to me.”

“You know what I love?”

“What?” He leaned forward curiously.

“The  _ Terminal Velocity _ storyline for The Flash,” she replied with a smirk. “I’m really more of a DC girl.”

He gasped. “You can’t. You’re the woman of my dreams, you can’t break my heart like that.”

“Anakin, just because Marvel has done better with their movies doesn’t mean they’re automatically better overall.”

“Broken,” he said loudly. “My heart is broken!” He started to descend the stairs.

“Oh, for God’s sake, don’t be so melodramatic!” He kept running down the stairs, flailing his arms around before his feet hit the track and he ran away. “Anakin!” she shouted, running up to the chainlink barrier above the locker room entrance. “Anakin!”

“No!” He kept running. “It’s broken. Pieces. Thousands of them.”

“If it means  _ that _ much to you,” she hesitated, “The drive-in’s doing an X-Men marathon this weekend. You can take me and try to change my mind.”

Anakin stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. He did a U-turn and raced over to where she was standing, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “It’s a date, Angel,” he grinned from ear to ear, and ran off again.


	7. Stop Hogging the Blankets!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secret to a good marriage is "never go to bed angry."  
> Anakin and Padmé are still working on that one.

“I can’t believe you would even suggest that.” Padmé spat into her sink as she finished cleaning her teeth and pulled her robe a little closer around her body. “It’s like you don’t even know me.”

“Lately, I don’t think I do,” he hissed as he stripped from his clothes, down to his boxers. “I mean, a few more minutes and you would have been sprawled across his lap, feeding him food.”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Palo was just saying hi! He’s Italian and from a very affectionate family, there was nothing wrong!”

“Affectionate family, that’s new,” he scoffed as he pulled back the blankets on his side and laid down, glaring at the ceiling. “He wasn’t  _ affectionate  _ with me. No, he just kissed my wife right in front of me.”

“On the  _ cheeks _ ,” she corrected, moving to her side of the bed and pulling out the pins that had been keeping her side-braid behind her head.

“ _ Near  _ the lips,” he said darkly. “I mean, it took you what? Ten minutes to remember I existed and was standing  _ right there? _ ”

“You said you were getting drinks! And I was  _ just _ catching up with an old friend that I haven’t seen in nearly ten years. How can you think I’d ever want to be with anyone but you?” She slid into her side of the bed with a huff.

“Maybe when you melt around your exes,” he seethed.

“I do  _ not _ melt.”

“Like ice cream!”

“Bullshit, Anakin, total bullshit.”

“Let’s just sleep,” he scowled and turned his back on her.

“Stop hogging the blankets,” she demanded, trying to grab them away from him. “And talk to me! Why does this bother you so much? Have I done something to make you doubt that I love you?”

“You are the one that hogs them all night,” he pulled them back to him. “I think we talked about everything we had to, today. You seriously don’t know why it bothers me?” He scoffed. “Fine. Next time I see my ex-girlfriend, I’ll behave just like you do and then we’ll speak.”

She grabbed the covers and pulled, tossing them on the ground, and then straddled him. “We’re not going to bed angry. That’s the one thing you’re never supposed to do in a marriage. We’re going to talk about this, and if I have to keep you pinned in place with my hips, so be it.”

Anakin crossed his arms and looked up at her. “I have nothing to tell you except that I’m not making the bed up again.”

“Anakin, look into my eyes and tell me you still think I’m lying when I say Palo is only a friend to me now.”

“If I do, can I have my blankets back so I don’t catch my death?”

“Only if you mean it.”

He looked up at her eyes, supporting his upper body in his elbows. “You’re not lying,” he declared. “Can I have them back?”

“Fine.” She climbed off the bed and grabbed the discarded blankets, tossing them at him.

“Thank you,” he said delicately as he placed them over their bed again. He pulled them up until his neck and got comfortable. Why was she so angry that he got jealous over the blatant moves her ex pulled on her? He was uncomfortable and the Italian manwhore did everything to leave him like that. If he hadn’t been jealous, then she had reasons to be concerned.

“I’m going to the guest room,” she said. “And I’ll see you in the morning.”

Anakin raised his head. “Didn’t I answer your question truthfully?”

“You did, and that’s why you have the blankets back, just like you wanted.”

“Fine, be like that,” he rolled his eyes.

“Can’t believe you have so little faith in me,” she muttered as she headed for the door.

“It’s not you, it’s them,” he threw a pillow at the door. “I was extremely uncomfortable and it was obvious he did it on purpose and you didn’t stop him or said anything. Am I supposed to just accept that other men flirt with you like that?”

She caught the pillow. “I thought we’d been together long enough that you’d be confident enough in the strength of our love to know that I wouldn’t cheat on you even if the human race depended on it.”

“I’ll never again react out of jealousy, is that what you want to hear? I promise. I will no longer pick arguments related to other men,” he threw his arms up in exasperation. She looked down at the pillow in her hands, then back at him. After a long pause, she started walking back to the bed.

“I don’t actually mind if you get a little protective,” she admitted, “it’s more that I’m hurt you think I’d ever want to leave you.”

“Alright, I get it, it doesn’t matter, let’s just sleep, we’re both tired,” he sighed as he laid back down. She climbed back under the covers and wrapped her arms around him, cuddling close.

“I love you. So much.”

“I know. I love you too.” He kissed the top of her hair and nuzzled her cheek. It was impossible to stay mad at her for too long. He loved her, so much that he could never resist her.

“And I’m sorry.”

He sighed. “Me too.”

“Want to go out for breakfast tomorrow?”

She felt him shrug as he yawned. “I can make breakfast. I want to sleep in.”

“Eggs á la Skywalker?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Do that and I’ll make my special orange juice.”

“Deal,” he yawned. “Goodnight, Padmé.”

“Good night, Ani.”


	8. Unwavering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Padmé deal with a particularly prominent roadblock in the midst of their wedding planning.

“ _ Thank you for waiting, Mr. Skywalker, we would be happy to proceed with the ticket reservations for the indicated date. I will leave the reservation under the name of Anakin and Padmé Skywalker? _ ” The receptionist's voice echoed through his office as it was on speaker.

“No,” he said flatly, rolling his eyes and he bit his tongue.

“ _ Uh, no, sir?” _

“No. It’s Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Naberrie.”

“ _ Oh, I’m sorry, I just thought that since you were getting married…” _

“You and me both,” he said dryly.

There was an uncomfortable silence before the receptionist cleared her throat. “ _ Right, well, the tickets have been reserved under the given names, Mr. Skywalker, I will forward you the email with the confirmation. Have a… joyous wedding and thank you for flying with American Airlines.” _

“Thank you,” Anakin clicked the button to end the call and huffed.

“Are you  _ still _ sulking?” Padmé asked as she walked in from the bathroom, two different sets of earrings in her hands. “Ani, I really don’t see what upsets you so much about this.”

“I am not sulking, I’m just making our reservations,” he shrugged as he kept his eyes on his laptop.

“You were huffing and pouting, I could hear you from in there.”

“You need to get your hearing checked,” he mumbled. 

“Fine, do you like the topaz earrings better or the pearl ones?”

“I like them both,” Anakin replied as he glanced at the earrings.

“Okay, but which are better for the party tonight?”

Anakin threw his hands up. “I don’t know, Padmé, don’t you women usually match your dresses and your accessories?”

“Gender essentialism jokes are not your best quality, Ani, and I’m asking because these can  _ both _ go with a black dress, but I value your opinion.”

He eyed the earrings again. “The topaz, I guess.”

“Thank you.” She put the pearl ones back into her jewelry box and put the first topaz stud in her ear. “Are you almost ready?”

He looked down at his black on black assemble. He was only missing his jacket. “Yep.”

“Great, I’ll just grab my dress and my shoes, and then we can go.” She headed into the closet, and he could hear fabric rustling through the door. “Seriously, though,  _ why _ do you have such a fixation on the fact that I don’t want to change my last name?”

“If you hadn’t understood by now, I’m not going to go through the arguments again,” he replied. “We already had this discussion and fought about it.”

“Well, apparently we do, because you are  _ still _ acting like it’s some kind of affront to everything you are because I don’t want to change my name.”

“I’m not fighting about this anymore,” he shut off his computer. “I’m dealing with it, isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Not if ‘dealing with it’ means you’re sulking and acting like I’ve stabbed your mother or something.”

Anakin snorted as he grabbed his jacket. “I’m telling my mom about that comparison.”

“For God’s sake, Ani, I’m going into politics, I thought you’d appreciate the distance of us having different last names so the press won’t bother you!”

“I don’t mind you having your maiden name when you’re working. I actually insist on that because it’s your work, your effort, not mine. But in everything else? Really?” 

“It’s a hassle to go through the process of changing your name, all my documents have to get updated, I have to—”

“Okay. Okay. You told me that already. I’m dealing with it, I’ll eventually get over it. It’s fine, I’m done arguing. Let’s just go to the party,” he interrupted her.

“Fine,” she huffed, “is a four-letter f-word, and you know it.”

He just frowned at her. “Spelling lessons? You know what… the car is already up front. We should be leaving.”

“I’m ready if you are.”

Anakin opened the door for her. “After you, Ms. Naberrie.”

“Thank you, Mr. Naberrie,” she replied smoothly.

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s not happening,” he said and closed the door.

* * *

“Wedding planning going well, I see,” Obi-Wan observed as he sipped his brandy.

“What?” Anakin snapped impatiently. “What is it? You’re the third person to tell me that tonight.”

“You and your fiancé do both seem to be in a mood, that’s all I’m saying, my young friend,” Obi-Wan explained

“Wedding planning is going well. She just doesn’t want to take my name. In anything,” he explained sourly.

“Well, independent, headstrong women like Padmé and Satine can be rather unwavering when it comes to some things. But that’s part of their charm. She and I had a similar argument, you know. I fought her on it for far too long, and now, our son has her name instead of mine.”

“That was something I never understood. Why Korkie is Kryze and not Kenobi. He is your son. He should have your name.”

“He’s Satine’s son too,” Obi-Wan pointed out. “And in our case, I think a hyphenated name would be even more unfortunate.”

“Korkie Kryze-Kenobi. Yeah... that poor kid,” he sighed. “But… why hers and not yours?”

“Old family name. That and she crushed my hand while in labor and wouldn’t let go until I agreed.”

Anakin laughed. “Right,” he said chuckling. “That seems like Satine.”

“Padmé not taking your name is  _ not _ meant as an affront to you, I promise you that. You’re just both too stubborn and proud to compromise on anything, one of you always has to win.”

“I understand not taking my name professionally. It’s her life’s work, not mine. But individually, I wanted that. Next time a woman asks me if there’s a Mrs. Skywalker, I will tell them no, there’s a Ms. Naberrie. It doesn’t have the same weight… I just… am I being old-school? Maybe. I’m processing it,” he said, sipping his champagne.

“There’s still going to be a ring on both your fingers, isn’t there?”

“That’s not the… yeah, there is. I’m really trying to come to terms with her choice, but don’t expect me to be fully happy with it.”

“Well, lucky for you, it seems like my wife has noticed too.” Obi-Wan gestured across the room to where Padmé and Satine stood talking. “And maternity has managed to soften her.”

“Yeah, we’ll speak about that when she makes you agree to whatever she wants, next time she’s crushing your hand in labor,” Anakin laughed.

“Oh, no, I’m getting it in writing beforehand that I get full naming privileges on our next one.”

Anakin shook his head. “Your kids are going to need therapy one day.”

“You think yours aren’t? With a mother who has such clear designs on the White House and a father determined to revolutionize the tech world?”

“Obi-Wan, you’re making me want to get drunk,” Anakin sighed and stood. “Which is leading me to the bar,” he patted his friend’s shoulder. “Happy anniversary.”

“Thank you.”

As Anakin headed towards the bar, Padmé finished the Manhattan she’d been drinking and looked over at Satine. “Really, though, am I being unreasonable? I don’t mind the kids potentially having his name in the future. I just… it’s the sense of individual accomplishment, you know?”

“Potentially having his name?” Satine quirked her lips upwards. “Have you told him that?”

“We’re still doing the wedding planning, the last thing I want to do is complicate things further by adding kids into the conversation. I want time for us to just be married before we get to the baby part of things.”

“Since you’re talking about names, I would tell him the  _ potential  _ part and please record his reaction,” Satine chuckled. “I had a similar argument with Ben. I didn’t want to give up my name. I wore him down and then broke the bones in his hand so I could give my son  _ my  _ name,” she smirked. “A man is very obedient when you’re in labor, remember that.”

“We’re not including ‘obey’ in our wedding vows. And you really are too mean to him sometimes.”

“You think you’re better?” Satine raised one eyebrow.

“I’m trying to be.”

“Hmmm. I’m not mean, and we had our struggles but we’ve managed to compromise. That’s half of being married. Compromise,” Satine shrugged. “There are some things you need to talk to before taking your vows, the name part is one of them.”

“I’m sorry, are you talking about the children’s names or mine?”

“Both,” her friend replied. “Just sit down, tell him what you want and why you want him, and let him tell you what he wants and why as well. From there… compromise.” 

“Compromise? Have you met Anakin? Have you met  _ me? _ ”

“Hmmm,” Satine shook her head. “Just think about it. Divorce  _ is  _ expensive, Padmé,” she smiled at her friend before a colleague called her. “Excuse me.”

“You’re helpful,” Padé called sarcastically after her friend as she looked at the empty glass in her hand, “and I need another drink.” And somehow she managed to arrive at the exact same time as Anakin. “Hey.”

He raised one finger. “Keep your name as you want, but whatever children we have, have  _ mine. _ Deal?”

“Deal if I get middle name privileges.”

“We don’t have middle names, why would they need middle names?” He frowned.

“Oh, come on, you can’t tell me you don’t like the idea of ‘Leia Amidala Skywalker.’ It’s a really pretty name.” 

“Fine. We’re getting that in writing,” he sipped his whiskey. “And that’s over for the name debacle.”

“Babe, babe, baby,” Padmé’s words slurred slightly as she took his face in her hands. “I love you so fucking much and you’re so amazing, and yes, our babies can have your name, I just want them to be proud of both our names, you know? I want them to think we’re both cool.”

Anakin shook his head. “How are you already half-drunk?”

“Come on, tell me I’m cool, and not a nerd.”

“You’re both and I’m giving you coffee,” he said and signaled the bartender who nodded.

“You’re both too,” she retorted, crinkling her nose. “But I still fucking love you.”

“I love you too, with or without my last name.”

“Thank you.” She kissed both his cheeks and then his nose.


	9. Monochromatic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unwanted night of clubbing for both Padmé and Anakin takes a turn for the better when they meet and their world instantly becomes more colorful. 
> 
> Soulmate AU.

“Trust me, Padmé, this color will look  _ amazing _ on you,” Saché promised.

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” Padmé said as her friend held the dress up against her body. “You and Yané are so lucky.”

“Oh, Pad, you’ll find them soon enough,” Yané said with a soft smile. “And then everything will be alright and you’ll live life like never before.”

“What color is this one again?”

“Blue, Pad,” answered Saché. “Like the lakes in Italy. It really pops against your skin. You  _ have _ to get it. Hell, wear it out of the store, if you run into your soulmate on the street, it’s gonna be like he’s seeing an angel.”

“Now you’re exaggerating,” Padmé rolled her eyes, taking the dress and stepping into the fitting room. “But fine, I’ll try it on.”

“If this is the first color he will see on you, it will bring him to his knees,” Yané beamed.

“This really doesn’t seem like an everyday kind of dress,” Padmé pointed out. “And I don’t think it’s going to really matter at a party where we always seem to already know everyone.”

“Okay, so we’ll take you out clubbing.”

“Why would my soulmate be at a club? I hate clubs.” Padmé stepped out wearing the dress.

“Oh, it’s  _ perfect _ !” Yané squealed.

“And for the record, the soulmate might be at the club because they also have friends who are trying to help them find their destiny too,” Saché added.

“Who knows? Tonight might be the night!” Her friend shrugged. “Just have faith.”

“Alright, I’ll wear the dress, let’s just pay for it and go, okay?”

“Okay, let’s go because we need to puff up those curls and do that makeup,” Yané beamed.

* * *

“I don’t want to go,” Anakin groaned. “It’s not my thing.”

“Yeah, but everyone else wants to go, and you can’t stay inside and program every night, you’ll get the world’s worst case of tech-neck,” Kitster argued. “Come on, man. Live a little.”

“With the condition that I’m going to leave whenever I want and I’m not going to carry your drunk asses home if you go overboard,” he scowled.

“Okay, okay, fine. You’re such a drama queen,” Rex rolled his eyes as he tapped his keys against the doorframe. “Now come on, the Uber’s waiting.”

Anakin grabbed his leather jacket and followed his friend out the door. He hated clubbing. And an Uber ride with Kitster, Rex, and several of Rex’s seemingly cousins wasn’t much more fun. There were way too many conflicting scents of cologne happening, and it was a relief to get fresh-by-city-standards air when the car stopped in front of the club entrance.

“Alright, guys, let’s get out there and hope destiny is  _ not _ waiting,” Fives quipped, pumping his fist in the air. “Monochromatic for life!”

"Not for life, I want a soulmate," Rex pointed out. 

"Me too," Kitster supported. "I won't die until I meet her."

"Or him," Anakin quipped with an evil smirk. 

“Ugh, why?” Fives groaned. “Spending the rest of your life with just one person sounds so boring.”

“There’s basically a zero percent divorce rate on soulmates,” Echo said. “So I guess people who have them disagree, bro.”

"He says that now but once he finds her, he'll be playing a different tune," Anakin shook his head. 

“Or him,” Kitster pointed out. “Or them. Could be a non-binary person.”

“Not gonna happen,” Fives insisted as they showed their IDs to the bouncer.

Anakin shook his head as he showed his ID and entered the club with music playing loudly. He winced, this was why he didn't like clubs. They were loud. And people bumping into each other. Fives and Echo immediately disappeared into the crowd.

“Wanna hit the bar?” Kitster shouted.

“I’m going after them!” Rex yelled back. “Meet you there!”

"Yes, drinks. I need alcohol to bear this," Anakin agreed. They wove their way through the crowd to an illuminated bar that was mostly empty, the majority of the patrons being on the dance floor. Anakin sighed. Life in black and white was boring and that’s why he spent most of his time inside. Life wasn’t  _ fun. _ Then, he realized, the more he was inside, the fewer chances he would have of finding his soulmate.

“No, seriously, I’m tired, I just want to sit,” a woman’s voice came from behind him, and then someone knocked into him. “Crap, I’m so sorry!”

“Oh, no, don’t—” As he turned, he gasped as suddenly, black and white exploded into what had to be  _ color _ . The woman standing in front of him looked down at her dress, then back up at him.

“I’m Padmé,” she said softly, and despite the loudness of the music, he heard her perfectly. “Has anyone ever told you that your eyes are blue?” 

His mom. But, he was not about to bring his mom into the first conversation he was going to have with his  _ soulmate.  _ She was beautiful. A head shorter than he was, petite and her eyes were warm and inviting. Her hair long, and luscious and he suddenly imagined himself running his fingers through them. “And has anyone ever told you how beautiful you look in blue?” He countered, a wide grin spreading across his face. “I’m Anakin.”

“Damn,” he heard Kitster mutter. “We lost Anakin.”

“He will be missed,” Fives said.

Anakin nearly rolled his eyes at his friends, but he focused on the woman in front of him. “Do you want to get out of here?” He asked her.

“ _ Please, _ ” she nodded emphatically. “I hate places like this.”

“Me too,” he confessed. “Come,” he took her hand and electricity jolted through his every nerve. “I know a diner a few blocks away that's open twenty four seven.”

“Perfect.” She squeezed his hand tightly. “Lead the way.”

Anakin beamed and pushed through the crowd, careful with her until they had left the noisy club. “I really hate how loud these clubs are,” he chuckled as they started heading down the road. “Are you cold? Do you need my jacket?”

“I’m good for now. But thanks, Anakin.” She pulled out her phone to send a text. “Just letting my friends know I’m not kidnapped.”

He laughed nervously. “Good. Then they won’t worry. I’m… really happy that I found you.”

Even if he was seeing colors for the first time, instead of paying attention to his surroundings and their true color, it was she he couldn’t stop watching. So beautiful. Angelic. His soulmate. 

“I’m happy too,” she said, closing her messages and opening an app with a color wheel. “Sorry, I like to be prepared,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Uh?” He blinked, not recognizing the app. “Well, I have a tendency to be… less organized. So I guess we complete each other.”

“That is what soulmates are supposed to be for.” She looked between the phone and his hair. “Blond, that’s the word for your hair. I like it.”

“And yours,” he stared at the color wheel and with his finger rotated it until he found the matching color, “chocolate brown. It’s perfect and what else? I do love chocolate,” he chuckled. 

“Me too,” she laughed. “Especially to drink on a cold day.”

“With marshmallows,” he quipped.

“And cinnamon.”

“Never tried it with cinnamon,” he tilted his head. “It can be a new thing I try with you. I have a feeling we’ll have plenty of those.”

“Absolutely,” she agreed. “But right now, I want to learn more about you.”

"I'm twenty three and I recently graduated from MIT. I'm working as a software developer for a company here in Boston. I'm an only child and… that's about it, really," he blushed. "I'm not that interesting. Tell me about yourself. I want to know everything." 

“I just finished at Harvard Law,” she answered. “And I’m prepping for my bar exams, but in the meantime, I work for the legal wing of a charity, Bright Children, Bright Futures. It’s about education reform and accessibility and equality.”

"My mom volunteers in their events there when she has the time," he blinked. "She's a nurse at Mass General."

“Really? That’s amazing!”

"Makes me regret I didn't go with her as much. I could have found you sooner."

“Well, I’ve been studying a lot lately you so, we probably wouldn’t have run into each other anyway. Exams are awful.”

Anakin nodded and they walked in comfortable silence. 

“I have a sister,” she added. “Older than I am. She lives in the suburbs with her family.”

"I would have liked to have siblings. The closest thing is two of my best friends. My mentor and this little, snippy girl that I took under my wing when I was volunteering in an MIT program where we go to schools to hype kids about their future and the chances they have."

“Well, she sounds fun,” Padmé laughed, looking up at the neon sign in the windows. “Dex’s. Is this the place?”

“Yep. They have very good coffee and amazing food. At all hours, it’s extraordinary, really,” he chuckled as he opened the door for her.

“Hey, look who’s here,” a massive man’s voice boomed from across the restaurant as they walked in. “Anakin Skywalker! How’s Obi-Wan? I haven’t seen him in ages!”

"Hey, Dex! Happily enjoying his soulmate," Anakin chuckled. "They're getting married next month. This is Padmé… She's my soulmate."

"A-ha! So you are finally seeing the world in color!" Dex’s full laugh echoed in the half empty dinner. "Welcome to my diner, Miss Padmé. You got a good one here. Please, take any seat you like."

“Thank you,” Padmé said, her cheeks flushing shyly as she slid into a corner booth. “But the question is whether  _ he _ got a good one too, isn’t it?” Her tone turned playful and her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

“I can already see he does,” Dex chuckled and handed them each a menu. “I’ll leave you two kids to decide on what to eat, but if you’re a milkshake woman, I can send you over two caramel milkshakes, Anakin’s favorite. On the house, for finding your soulmate.”

“Why don’t you bring us one caramel milkshake for me, and bring him a hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon?” Padmé suggested.

“Alright, I like your style, I’ll bring you the drinks in a few minutes,” he nodded and left them alone.

“Okay, so,” Anakin placed his hands on the table. “What is  _ truly  _ your opinion on soulmates?”

“Mixed,” she admitted. “I’m not entirely okay with the idea of fate just saying ‘this is your person, you don’t get a say in the matter.’ I think it’s because my sister actually didn’t marry her soulmate. Her husband is a really wonderful guy, and I don’t doubt their love at all, but it kind of feels like it undermines the concept, you know? And yet, at the same time, it’s also a relief to know that there  _ is _ a person out there for you. What about you?”

Anakin shrugged. “I think I feel the same. I mean, I do believe once you find your soulmate, some part of you is complete. Otherwise, why is the world suddenly in color? Why that person? But I also believe in love between two people who are not soulmates. My mom’s soulmate was my dad, but their relationship was short-lived. She is currently married to a wonderful guy and neither are each other’s soulmate, but they’re happy and that’s what matters,” he pointed out. “Sometimes a soulmate can be just a really close friend, someone that you have in your life and it doesn’t mean that is the  _ love  _ of your life.”

“True.” She nodded. “Not to mention the people out there who don’t have full use of their vision. I’ve met quite a few kids through BCBF who are worried they’re never going to have someone who loves them because they have vision impairments and might never see color regardless.”

“It’s a flawed concept,” he admitted.

“Makes you wonder what kind of bizarre higher power came up with it,” Padmé agreed. “But I totally get what you mean about feeling complete. I already feel so comfortable with you. LIke I’ve known you all my life instead of less than an hour.”

“True,” he gave her a sweet smile. “This is without pressure, of course. I’ve known people who met their soulmate and were marrying in the courthouse the following day. This is all about us being comfortable.”

“If you suggested we get married at a courthouse tomorrow, I might dump the milkshake that’s coming over your head,” she joked. “ _ Not _ how I ever pictured getting married. Not to mention that my family would probably kill me for eloping.”

He laughed. “My mom would have never forgiven me. Her only son. I would better not show my face in the house ever again,” he snickered. “No. No eloping. No rushing. Just… friends… for now.”

“Friends for now,” she agreed as Dex arrived with the milkshake and the hot chocolate, and raised her cold glass in the air. “Cheers to that?”

He raised his mug, tapping it against hers. “Cheers!”


	10. Once Upon A Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins demand a bedtime story. Anakin and Padmé comply.

“But I want a Princess story. A good one! One that I haven’t heard before!” Leia insisted as her dad tried to tuck her into bed and gave her an exasperated, but loving look.

“And I want a story with pilots,” Luke quipped from the bed at their left. “Pilots and space monsters!”

“I mean, I could read from the book your Auntie Soka sent you,” Padmé suggested. “It doesn’t have space monsters and pilots, but it does have swamp monsters and saber fights and pirates?”

“Eww, swamp monsters are icky,” Leia made a face as Anakin settled a brown, fluffy plush Wookiee in her arms and she gripped him tightly.

“I don’t want pirates, I want  _ pilots _ ,” Luke nodded his head, set in his decision.

“Oh, honey, come on, we’re all tired, I don’t know if I can make up a whole story,” Padmé said as she sat on the edge of Luke’s bed.

“Daddy? Please? Please, daddy?” Leia untucked herself and nearly climbed Anakin like a tree, toy Wookiee and all.

“I guess I can think of something,” he chuckled and she squealed near his ears, making him wince. “But you have to be in bed for me to start.”

Tripping over her tiny feet, she snuggled inside her comfortable covers and stared up at her dad with wonder. He rolled his eyes and sat at the bottom of her bed. The windows were open to let the cool, fresh air of Naboo in and the night was starry. He mulled over what he would say until he grinned.

“Alright, once upon a time, there was a little boy that dreamed of becoming a pilot,” he glanced at Luke and winked, “and travel all around the Galaxy, getting to know all its systems and planets and if he could, meet the angels of the moons of Iego he had heard so much about from the grown-up pilots. One day, as he was working on his droid friend, a true Angel appeared. She was actually a Princess and her planet was in peril,” he tickled Leia’s stomach making her giggle with excitement.

“Her ship had been damaged,” Padmé added, realizing exactly what her husband was doing, “by a giant, monstrous old creature with wrinkled skin that could shoot lightning. And she had arrived on the boy’s planet with two brave knights, looking for help to fix the ship.”

“However brave the knights were, they were sort of useless,” he continued and both of the twins giggled, “so the responsibility of saving the Princess and her planet, fell on the little boy’s ability of podracing,” he said and Luke gasped excitedly. “The Princess needed a special, rare part for her ship and to win it, he had to be very brave and face some of the meanest riders, but guess what?”

“He won?” Luke quipped.

“Totally!” Anakin nodded excitedly.

“He only won because the older and wiser of the two knights realized that the boy had special powers to help him,” Padmé said, rolling her eyes slightly at her husband’s bragging.

“So they said, but the little boy knew it was  _ all  _ skill.”

“What happened next?” Leia demanded. “What about the space monster? He sounds evil.”

“He was,” Padmé confirmed. “And he sent his evil knight out to fight the good knights, to capture the Princess. But they defended her bravely.”

“And they took the little boy with them, so he could be a knight as well,” Anakin added. “He knew that he would travel the Galaxy and see everything he ever dreamed about, but first, he needed to help the Princess.”

“Unfortunately, what none of them knew was that the monster could look like a person,” Padmé added, “and he took the form of the Princess’s most trusted ally.”

“Oh, no!” Luke and Leia gasped.

“Nobody knew how evil the monster really was and that he wanted the boy and the Princess’ powers,” Anakin said.

“The old monster tricked the Princess, using her love of her people to gain greater power in the realms of men, but for that same love of her people, she could not stay, and prepared to return home,” Padmé explained. “While the boy went to the greatest knights in the galaxy, to have his strength tested before going back with the Princess and her two protectors to her planet. They went to a noble civilization of water-dwelling warriors, and the Princess begged them for help in fighting the monster’s coming army to save their home.”

“And did they?” Luke asked.

“They did, they were, like the knights, very brave,” Anakin confirmed. “Together, they fought the space monster’s minions, in order to save the Princess’ planet.”

“It was the boy who was the true hero, for he flew up above the planet to destroy the monster’s magic barrier around the planet,” added Padmé, “a barrier which gave the evil armies their strength. But this victory did not come without a price for our heroes.”

“Oh, no, what happened?” Leia gasped.

“They lost one of the brave knights. The older and wiser one,” Anakin continued. “He was struck down by the evil knight. With his last breath, he asked the younger knight to train the boy in their ways, so he could continue to be brave and help the Galaxy face off against the space monster.”

“Did the good knight kill the evil knight?” Luke asked. “Did he?”

Padmé gave Anakin a nervous look.  _ That _ tale was worthy of its own bedtime story. “Well… he certainly avenged the older and wiser knight, but how about Uncle Ben tells you that story when he comes over? He knows it better than us.”

“I thought you were making this story up,” Leia said suspiciously.

“We are,” he said, easily. “It’s just that Uncle Ben is so  _ creative  _ and has so many  _ ideas  _ that I think he would like to come up with that one,” he shrugged. “It’s all about how cute you look asking,” he winked at her playfully.

“I’m the cutest girl ever!”

“That you are, my love,” he confirmed and stood up, kissing her forehead. “Now sleep and if you’re both good tomorrow in your lessons, I’ll tell you what happened to the Princess and the boy,” he chuckled, moving to Luke and repeating the same gesture.

“No, more story now!” Luke wailed. “Mommy, please! What happened next?”

“Well, with the monster’s army defeated, everyone celebrated,” Padmé said, unable to resist her son’s pout, “but they did not realize the monster was among them, and that he now had proof of just how special the little boy was.”

“Then what happened to the little boy?” Leia pouted.

“Thousands of things, he got to be very well known around the Galaxy and the people loved him,” Anakin smirked. “But… that’s a story for another night,” he nudged his wife in the shoulder.

“You can’t end it there, it’s not ‘happily ever after!’” Luke protested.

“No, but it is late,” Padmé said, taking Anakin’s hand to act as an anchor against their son’s unrelenting pleas. “And Daddy’s right, we’ll pick this up tomorrow night. Goodnight, Luke. Goodnight, Leia.”

“Sleep well, loves,” he tugged his wife outside the bedroom, and with a wave of his hand, turned on the nightlights that showed stars and constellations over the bedroom ceiling and walls. He pulled the door nearly to a close, leaving just a tiny bit open, so they could hear if anything was wrong. Artoo was in the corner of the bedroom, anyway, so if there was trouble, they would know. “That was fun,” he grinned as they walked hand in hand to their bedroom.

“I’m telling Obi-Wan you called him useless,” she warned. “But we could be telling this story for a very long time. You know that, right? Ahsoka will kill us if we leave her out of this. Not to mention Rex and the 501st, and probably the entire Jedi Order once they find out.”

Anakin laughed. "I guess they can add to the story as they take turns babysitting," he smiled. "It makes it that much more fun for them," he kissed the top of her head. "Then we can wrap up with the happily ever after," he nuzzled her cheek. 

“They might have forgotten the beginning by the time we reach the ending,” she laughed, kissing his nose. “Where the knight finally kills the monster and then gives up his blade to be with his princess and their babies.”

"Becoming a trophy husband was his best decision ever," he grinned widely and kissed the corner of her lips. 

“Trophy husband,” she scoffed. “As if you aren’t singlehandedly leading the charge against slavery when you aren’t spending time with the kids.”

He shrugged. "Details. I am much more known these days as Padmé Amidala's husband and baby daddy."

“And you love it, don’t you?”

“Every. Single. Second,” he placed his hands on her growing stomach. “How’s  _ this  _ little knight?”

“We don’t know yet if they’re a knight,” she pointed out dryly. “And I’m doing fine, but I’m also kind of dreading when the twins tell me I’m getting fat and we have to tell them that they have to share us now.”

He beamed. “Oh, they’ll be fine. We’ll tell them all about the new responsibilities and how they are a big brother and big sister and you know, Leia will love to boss someone else around,” he chuckled. “You look amazing, Angel, have I told you that?”

“Almost every day, but I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t take back a single moment of our story.”

“I love you and our once upon a time.”


	11. Radiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Anakin and Padmé are a different kind of Chosen One and Angel.

“Can I  _ please _ have another human to guard?” Amidala pleaded. “I didn’t think it was possible for celestial beings to have anxiety, but now I’m inhaling full bottles of this thing humans call Xanax.”

“Better you than me,” Obi-Wan muttered quietly.

Satine slapped his shoulder. “Amidala, we needed someone like you to watch over this particular human exactly because you can get through him. Either you help him slow down his accident-prone life, or he’ll be gaining wings sooner than when he’s meant to.”

“At this point, I’d have to be with him at all hours of the day, right by his side, to prevent that!”

“That  _ is  _ your job,” Satine stressed.

“Maybe if you appeared to him in human form, you could do your job in a much easier way,” Obi-Wan suggested. “He could  _ actually _ listen to you and follow your advice.”

“Isn’t that violating the Council’s policies on fraternization and meddling with humans?”

Satine sighed, pushing her blonde hair from her shoulder. “Usually? Yes. But he is meant for greatness. That is why Sidious has cursed him and that is why he has a death scare every other month. Given that Anakin has a lot to give to society before his ultimate demise, he  _ needs  _ help and guidance and at the Guardians’ Council, we are willing to bend the rules for this one.”

“This isn’t going to go well,” Amidala warned with a sigh. “But if it’s what you think needs to happen, I’ll do it. Open the portal and send me back.”

“You know the basic rules, don’t you?” Obi-Wan warned.

“Don’t expose myself or any of my infernal foes, keep him safe at all times, and keep a low profile.”

“Good,” Satine nodded proudly.

“Do  _ not  _ reveal your mission. Do  _ not  _ catch feelings, and remember that your human body has an expiration date. You feel human but you’re not,” Obi-Wan added.

“Catch feelings,” Padmé could not help but snort. “I might be a fledgling, but my wings aren’t  _ that _ new, Obi-Wan. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“If you don’t  _ trust  _ our star student, maybe you would like to go yourself, Ben? Hmm? Take care of our accident-prone, geeky problem maker? Hmm?” Satine asked in a clipped voice.

“You are a cruel eternal partner, my lady.”

“Ah, well, you haven’t lost your wings yet,” Satine chuckled and with a wave of her hand, a silver portal opened. “Once you are on Earth, your life will be established as if you were one of them. Job and everything. Of course, we made sure that your life intertwined itself with our little one down there. Ready?”

“Yes, Lady Satine,” Amidala nodded.

“Good luck, dear,” Satine smiled.

* * *

“Dude, did you see the new hire they have working the front desk?” Kitster asked as he got into the cubicle he shared with Anakin.

“What?” Anakin turned around so fast, that he knocked over his scalding cup of coffee over his pants. “ _ Fuck _ !” He jumped up in alarm. “Not this again,” he groaned.

“This is why we keep the fresh pair,” Kitster said, pulling open the file cabinet that held a folded pair of black slacks. “Go change, and I’ll tell you about the front desk babe when you get back.”

Anakin sighed and grabbed his change of clothes. Sneaking around the cubicles of the open space, he discreetly headed to the man’s bathroom. As he neared it, the door opened suddenly and he let out a little scream, halting his steps so as to not get hit with it. A pair of hands wrapped around his arms and pulled him to the side. “You really ought to be more aware of your surroundings,” a musical voice scolded.

He turned around to see his savior and his jaw dropped. “Are… damn… are you an angel?” He stuttered, clutching his clean pair of pants.

“What?” The stunningly gorgeous petite brunette let go of his arms as if they’d burned her hands. “Of course not, why on earth would you say something like that?” She pushed up the round tortoiseshell glasses that little to diminish the absolute radiance of her face.

Anakin blushed until the tip of his ears. “I just meant that you’re really beautiful and angelic.”

“And you have coffee all over your pants,” she said bluntly. His face turned redder. “Have you considered a lid on your hot drinks?”

“My mom keeps telling me that, and I keep forgetting but after today, I don’t think I ever will,” he nodded. “I’m Anakin. Anakin Skywalker.”

“Padmé Amidala. I’m the new receptionist.”

“Aaah, the new front desk babe Kit was telling me about,” he said honestly before he realized what came out of his mouth. “Oh God, I am so, so sorry, he’s a bad influence on me,” he winced. “I should go. I need to change my pants,” he cringed as he turned around slowly. “God, please kill me now,” he whimpered as he entered the bathroom. Seconds later, she heard him yelp and a dry thud. She walked into the men’s room without any hesitation.

“What on earth are you doing?”

He was sprawled face down on the floor. “Just leave me here to die,” he whimpered. He was the most unlucky person on the face of the Earth.

“I think not. What you’re doing right now is undignified and unsanitary, now please get up.”

“You’re in the men’s bathroom,” he pointed out as he got to his feet and grabbed his slacks. 

“What’s your point?”

“That you’re a woman?”

“I heard someone in distress and came to assist. I think that outranks arbitrary labels about where a person is allowed to relieve themselves.”

Anakin shook his head. “I’m always in distress. It’s a well-known fact. People already ignore it,” he shrugged. “Could you leave… though?”

“I will stand outside the door until you exit safely,” she said, her heels clicking against the tiles as she took the few steps out of the restroom.

He stared at her in shock.  _ Why would she?  _ Shaking his head, he quickly changed his pants and smoothed down his hair. Anakin didn’t know why, but the universe was against him. He had one too many close calls and he was sure his mother suffered from a heart condition because he was always on the brink of death or catastrophe. It was just who he was. A prodigy that was not meant to live many years on this Earth, if gravity and sharp objects had anything to say about it. As he left the restroom, he widened his eyes. “Wow, you really stayed out here.”

“It would be immoral for me to ignore you, despite what other people in this office have decided.”

He scratched the back of his head. “They all mean well, I don’t say that to complain. They can’t take care of me at all times. That’s a full-time job.”

“Yes, it is,” she said, then coughed. “I mean it seems that way. Let me walk with you back to your desk.”

“I appreciate it, but I can walk alone,” he chuckled. “It was really good to meet you, Padmé, I’m sure you have to get back to work.”

“If I am going to be calling 911 because of something happening to you, I would prefer to keep you in my sights, Mr. Skywalker.”

“If you call 911 for me, just tell them it’s Shmi’s son, they know the rest,” he quipped humorously. 

“Your well-being isn’t a joke to me, Mr. Skywalker.”

“You’re the mom friend, aren’t you?”

“If that is how you want to think of me.”

He laughed, amused. “I really liked meeting you. But I can take care of myself,” he leaned down, and after a moment’s hesitation, kissed her cheek. “Thank you. For worrying.”

“It’s my job,” she stammered.

* * *

So that’s why she’d been warned about catching feelings. In addition to the annoyingly high likelihood that he might lose an arm, Anakin Skywalker was an incredibly disarming individual, and her human vessel was susceptible to that charm.

When he managed to get to the office in one piece, he always brought her coffee or her favorite muffin from the nearby coffee shop. He would leave little funny notes at her desk, or give her a random flower throughout the day. He laughed easily and made everyone around him feel at ease too.

“You should ask him out,” Ahsoka recommended one day after Anakin had headed to his cubicle.

“You should be doing the work your internship requires,” Padmé replied to the college student. “Asking him out would be  _ highly _ inappropriate.”

“He’s clearly into you,” Ahsoka shrugged. “And I  _ am  _ doing my work, Ms. Amidala. I just find you two adorable. You would have some cute, chubby babies,” a pause, and then she chuckled. “If he lived that far. Skyguy is a magnet for trouble.”

“Then if he is attracted to me, perhaps I  _ am _ trouble, and should stay away.”

“Has anyone ever told you how literal you are?” Ahsoka raised one eyebrow.

“ _ Do your work. _ ”

“You’re so into him,” Ahsoka snorted as she grabbed the files and left to continue her work.

_ Into him _ was one way of putting it, but at the moment, Padmé’s mind was elsewhere, her angelic intuition detecting an infernal presence. Locking the computer, she left her desk and walked calmly out of the building and into the nearby alleyway. “Show yourself,” she called. “I know you’re there. Neither of us wants a scene.” 

“You’re just delaying the inevitable,” Maul’s cold voice sounded from the shadows. “He’s marked for death. One way or another.”

“You and your master are interfering in the affairs of mortals beyond the agreements of the truce between the celestial and infernal.” Padmé clenched her fists as the radiance of her true power begged to be released upon her foe. “But he’s under  _ my _ protection now.”

“And you are not? Since when do angels walk among humans?” He taunted. “Your protection… you’re a child. You haven’t even completed your first millenia.”

“And you won’t complete your next one if you don’t leave now,” she warned. “I am here only to ensure that you don’t meddle further. Anakin Skywalker—”

“Is going to die. Tick, tock, tick, tock, little angel. His time is running out.”

And suddenly, the presence was no more. Padmé ran back inside in a panic, past her own desk and straight to Anakin’s cubicle.

“P.? Looking for something?” Anakin’s head raised watching her approach. “You look frightened.”

“I just...realized I hadn’t gotten a text from you recently,” she stammered. “I figured that you must have gotten into another accident.”

Shaking his head, he raised his hand, holding a single, white daisy. “It was what I could find this morning. Have coffee with me after work?”

“Anakin,” she sighed, “we’d have to talk to Human Resources.”

“Ugh, just go out, you’re killing me,” Siri, from HR, said behind her. She waved her hands at the, “shoo, go on your dates, but I better not find you humping against the cooler.”

“There will absolutely not be humping!” Padmé said, a little too loudly.

Siri rolled her eyes and walked away. Anakin chuckled and set the flower behind her ear. “I’ll meet you outside at 5 pm. Thank you, Angel.”

Padmé didn’t know how to say no. And she supposed dating him was as good a means as any to stay close to him. She just had to make certain she recommitted herself to not catching feelings.


	12. Clenched Fists

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin gets an unexpected greeting when he gets home.

Anakin did everything in his power not to make a sound. It was past midnight and he knew he should have been home hours ago. After all, he did promise her that they could have dinner. His wife was already fast asleep, he was sure, and he really did not want to wake her up. He took his heavy boots and Jedi robe by the couch, and went to the kitchen to get something to drink before he went straight to bed and snuggled his wife.

The viewscreen was on, playing a rerun of Padmé’s favorite political holodramas, the one she only watched when he wasn’t around to ask her to explain it to him. Ten seasons in, the lore was just too much. Artoo and Threepio were both in the corner, powered down for the night.

He rolled his neck from side to side and let the glass in the sink. He really needed to get some sleep. He shut off the viewscreen and headed towards the bedroom. As soon as he set foot through the door, he felt two clenched fists making contact with his body, the first with his stomach and the second with his jaw.

“How did you get into my apartment?”

“Padmé, it’s me,” Anakin groaned as he knelt on the floor, rubbing his jaw. “Kriff, Angel, you have a mean right hook.”

“Ani?” The lights came on as his wife dropped down beside him, a blaster clattering to the ground. “I’m so sorry, you scared me! Force, I could have shot you...”

“Now that would be fun to explain,” he said, amused as he shook his head. “I thought you were asleep, that’s why I was being quiet. Do you usually have a lot of break-ins after the extra security you got since the days Dooku was trying to assassinate you?”

“No, but I haven’t been sleeping well lately,” she admitted. “I woke up just before you got here, and when I heard you, I thought that someone might have managed to slice through those defenses. When you didn’t show up for dinner, I assumed the Council had sent you off on another mission.”

“Obi-Wan was just pushing my buttons and it was incredibly hard to dodge him tonight, go figure out why,” he stood to his full height and helped her up. “Insomnia, Angel?” He sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t know, just stress,” she said with a shrug. “I’m sure it’ll pass in time. But are you sure you’re alright? I didn’t leave any lasting damage?”

“Well, you didn’t hit me lower, so there’s no lasting damage to that part,” he said cheekily.

“You’re unbelievable,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Absolutely unbelievable.”

“My nose is not broken, so that’s a plus too,” he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Ready to go to bed, love?”

“I suppose it’ll be a lot easier to sleep with you holding me,” she agreed with a smile. “Promise to be there when I wake?”

“For as long as I breathe,” he kissed the corner of her lips.


	13. Whispers

“My dear Senator Amidala, have you heard the latest?” Padmé glanced over at Senator Burtoni, trying very hard to hide her annoyance at the old Kaminoan woman. “There are whispers going around that General Skywalker is having an affair with a Senator.”

“Is that so?” Padmé asked, keeping her tone dry to hide her panic. “You shouldn’t listen to such ridiculous whispers, Senator Burtoni, it’s surely just bored HoloNet reporters inventing gossip.”

“I’m afraid HoloNet has quite the juicy details of his affair,” Burtoni replied. “It’s all the Senate can talk about today. Everyone’s trying to guess who has managed to capture the young General’s attention.”

“Not  _ all _ the Senate,” countered Padmé, taking another sip of her drink. “Some of us are focusing on spending this evening on its intended purpose of honoring the fallen in the last Battle of Christophsis.”

“Yes, but the rumors are just too good,” her fellow Senator pointed out. “I wonder who it is,” she mused.

“Even if it  _ were _ true, it wouldn’t be any of my business. Have a good evening, Senator Burtoni.” With a brief nod, Padmé moved away, finishing off the last of her wine.  _ Did _ someone know? Anakin was here tonight, as were several other Jedi, including Obi-Wan and Yoda. This was  _ bad. _

“Senator Amidala? Padmé?” Bail called after her.

“Bail!” She stopped and smiled warmly. “Yes, sorry, I’m just a little lightheaded from the wine. It’s very strong.”

Bail Organa’s lips twitched upwards, but he kept his composure. “Yes, well, you must have heard the same rumors as I did,” he said, looking around. “Quite the scandal, isn’t it?”

“What it is, is ridiculous.” Padmé scoffed. “General Skywalker is deeply committed to the Order, he’d never betray the code so flagrantly.”

“Well, the rumor is going around that he’s maintaining an affair with Senator Baab,” he said and paused for her reaction. “HoloNet is making them quite the famous couple and Fema is not confirming or denying anything.”

Padmé shook her head, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. “Bail, I thought you were better than this.”

“Breha likes to be kept up to date with the latest Senate scandals,” he chuckled. “And it is entertaining to see Fema trying to get some attention because of this. We all know  _ she’s  _ not the Senator that has our favorite General’s attention,” with a knowing twinkle in his eye, he shrugged. “I should be on my way, Padmé, always good to run into you,” he said and took off, chuckling to himself.

Padmé felt an odd heat on her cheeks. This was even worse than she’d anticipated, and she could only hope that no one was bringing this up to Anakin in front of the other Jedi.

* * *

“That’s not true!” Anakin denied, his cheeks flaming red as Ahsoka broke into a fit of giggles behind him and Rex discreetly cleared his throat.

Obi-Wan, clearly amused, stood his ground. “The HoloNet is quite confident.”

Anakin huffed, irritated. “The last time HoloNet was  _ quite confident  _ they were speaking about the Jedi Generals’…” he cleared his throat, uncomfortable, “lightsaber sizes.” That did it for Ahsoka, who bent over, laughing uncontrollably.

“Senator Baab?” Rex raised his eyebrows.

“She’s the Bajic sector Senator and a loyal supporter of Chancellor Palpatine,” Obi-Wan explained. “You were seen with her.”

“Yeah,  _ once,  _ when the Chancellor requested my presence,” Anakin was still red in the cheeks and hoping to the Force his master would just  _ drop it.  _ He almost had a heart attack when Obi-Wan very seriously told him he knew who he was seeing at the Senate, but this was preposterous. 

“I’d suggest maybe the affair’s actually with the Chancellor, but  _ that’s _ just gross,” Ahsoka gagged. “He’s almost as old as Master Yoda.”

Anakin whirled around to glare at her. “Do you  _ want  _ me to leave you here scrubbing the floors?  _ I will!” _

“Sir, they’re just whispers,” Rex tried to placate his General with a grimace. “Do not let it get to you. I’m sure no one will be speaking about it in a few days.”

“Plus, she’s not your style,” Ashoka nudged him on the stomach, grinning further as her Master pinned her down with a glare.

“And who  _ is _ Anakin’s style in your opinion, young one?” Obi-Wan asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m certainly not into pacifist blondes,” Anakin glared at his Master. “Any other questions, Master?”

“Yes, did someone spit in your wine? You’re in a dreadful mood.”

Anakin scowled. “I have business to attend,” he said, walking off.

“Say ‘hi’ to Senator Baab for me, Master,” Ahsoka yelled behind him.

“Or to Chancellor Palpatine if it really is your preference,” Rex helped her, without managing to hold himself.

They both got knocked on their asses by an invisible force and Obi-Wan chuckled at them.

* * *

“So, should I expect you to petition me for divorce soon?” Padmé asked as she pulled the pins from her hair.

Anakin groaned and just laid face down on the bed. “ _ Why _ ?” His voice was muffled by the silky material of the sheets. “Why me?” 

“Because you’re young and handsome with a raw sexual charisma severely lacking in most other Jedi?” his wife teased.

He raised his head, blue eyes blinking at her softly. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Senator,” he sat on the bed. “Raw sexual charisma, huh?”

“Well, you must be, considering you’re supposedly sleeping with half the Senate.”

“Apparently, I get around,” he said dryly, rolling his eyes. “They never get it right, though,” he smirked. “Are we just that good, or are they just that dumb?”

“At this point, I think it might be both.” She unclasped the top of her dress and let it fall to the ground. “But even so, we really should be more careful.”

“Pff, before they reach you, I’ll be in an affair with Bail or something,” he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down on the bed with him.

“Breha will  _ kill _ you,” she laughed. “And I’ll kill Bail.”

“I only have eyes for you,” he kissed down her exposed neck.

“Oh, really, General?”

“Indeed, Senator,” he brushed his lips over her collarbone.

“Well, then I suppose I’ll just have to keep you.”

“If you don’t mind,” he laughed, pinning her down on the mattress and leaning down to place a kiss at her lips.


	14. Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Padmé talk about their future after they get caught.

“We should have expected this.” Padmé sighed ruefully as she picked at the food on her plate.

“You know what?” He pushed the plate away. “It’s good. Now we don’t have to live a lie anymore. It was wearing us down and I was hating it anyway.”

“But Ani, we don’t know what’s going to happen next,” she reminded him. “And none of the possibilities are good. Expulsion from the Order, possibly the Senate too…”

“I’ll leave the Order before they even think about expelling me,” he scoffed. “We can move to Naboo. To the Lake Country. Settle down there, away from all this toxic negativity, and be ourselves. Raise our family. You’ll be close to your family and I’m sure we will be able to find something to occupy ourselves,” he stood up to kneel at her side and take her hands. “This is not the worse outcome, Angel.”

“And what if they decide to indict us?” She moved from her chair to sit in his lap, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “You know I’ve made no shortage of enemies in the Senate, Ani. I’m sure they’d be  _ thrilled _ to have me brought up on charges for endangering the war effort through a conflict of interest.”

“We got married, Angel, we didn’t commit a crime,” he whispered in her ear.

“There are times when we chose each other before making the choice that would have been best for the Republic,” she pointed out.

“That would be true if you had chosen me that time with Dooku, when we were with the Gungans, remember?” He chuckled.

“I did choose you, Ani, I gave up Grievous to get you back.”

“Padmé, don’t overthink this,” he kissed her knuckles. “Right now, we have to do what’s best for us. I know I’ll resign from the Order, but what about you, Angel? What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. Politics has been my life for so long, I don’t know if I can even do anything else,” she admitted. “I think that might scare me the most of all this. Apart from the possibility of losing you.”

“You can plead your case. With me out of the Order, nothing can be held against you.”

“If I stay, will we really have left it behind? I don’t want the rest of our lives to be ‘Senator Amidala and her disgraced ex-Jedi trophy husband.’ You’re more than that.”

Anakin sighed and played with a loose curl of her hair. “I know I am and you know it too. That’s all that matters to me. If continuing being a Senator is what you want, Padmé, then I’m here for it. We’ll find a way to make it work. As long as we’re both together.”

She managed to smile. “When did you get so wise and mature?”

“I didn’t. I just know that I love you and I’m not about to give you up for anything in this Galaxy.”

“I love you, Anakin Skywalker,” Padmé said, lacing her fingers with his. “And you know what? Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the galaxy if we both retired and went off on adventures together. Maybe keep that promise to your mother?”

“That would be amazing,” he leaned up to kiss her lips. “I love you, Padmé Naberrie Skywalker.”

“So, tomorrow, we go out there and face the HoloNet and the galaxy together? No more secrets, no more hiding, consequences be damned?”

“Yes. I like the odds. Who knows? We might have a nice surprise. People are usually suckers for a good love story and ours? Is the best one.”


	15. Breathless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to Anakin’s least favorite place takes a turn for the worse... and for the better.

“How can you look this miserable at the most  _ amazing _ beach ever?” Ahsoka asked Anakin. “Do you just hate fun?”

“No, just sand,” he shook it from his fingers. “It sticks everywhere. It’s lodged in unspeakable places.”

“So get in the water, dummy. Problem solved.”

“Ugh,” he stood up and shook the sand from his shorts. “Things I do for you, Snips,” he removed his sunglasses and threw them in the towel. “I’ll be right back.”

He headed for the water that was cold at the first touch. He entered until the water was waist-deep and shuddered. It felt definitely better than sand. He swam for a bit, until he found himself too far from the shore. Anakin sighed and floated, letting the sun soak his skin so he gained a little tan. When he was done, he started to swim towards the beach again, until his leg cramped up and a wave swallowed him.

A loud whistle rang out, loud enough to be heard over the water roaring in his ears, and suddenly, an arm was around his waist, pulling him back upwards. He gasped for air as he struggled to breathe. All he knew was that his mouth was filled with water and his body was sore. A pair of hands pushed against his chest, forcing out the water.

“Can you hear me?” a hazy voice asked. When he didn’t respond, the same hands pinched his nose, and a mouth covered his, exhaling into him forcefully.

Suddenly he was vomiting water from his mouth and someone was turning him on his side as he heaved the seawater. The sun felt hotter than ever and his mind was mush.

“Skyguy? Skyguy, can you hear us? Oh my God, oh my God. Skyguy!!”

“Miss, you need to give him some space,” the unfamiliar voice said, as the hands whacked at Anakin’s shoulders, forcing out the last of the water. “Everyone, please, stay back!”

“He’s my brother,” he heard Ahsoka whimper.

“I’m… I’m fine,” he rasped out, coughing. “Peachy,” he opened his eyes and blinked several times. The shape of a young woman, who was not Ahsoka, loomed over him. Her wavy brown hair was wet, sticking to her face and her worried, brown eyes looked down at him. “Did I die and go to heaven?” He whispered.

“No, but you came close.” She placed her hand on the top of his head, making his neck curve. “Keep coughing, I want to make sure we got all the water out of your lungs. My co-worker’s already called 911.”

On cue he coughed a bit more water. “Thank you. For saving my life.”

“I’ve already called Shmi,” Ahsoka said, kneeling next to him. “I’m so sorry, Skyguy, I pushed you to take a swim.”

“Come on, Snips, you aren’t to blame. My leg cramped up and I couldn’t swim anymore,” he explained, sitting up and patting her shoulder. “Can I get your name?” He asked the lifeguard.

“Padmé Naberrie,” she answered, raising her fingers in a  _ V _ shape. “Can I ask what yours is? And how many fingers you see?”

“You are a true angel, Padmé,” he smiled. “My name’s Anakin Skywalker and I see two fingers and a beautiful lifesaver.”

Next to him, Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’ve recovered already.”

“If you’re going to flirt with me,” Padmé said with a sigh as she got up, dusting off her bright red swimsuit, “can you at least wait until my shift is over?”

He laid back down on the sand. “I have nowhere to be. I’m recovering from a near-death scare.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. She spotted the ambulance near the entrance of the beach. “No, you’re heading to the hospital to verify your lungs and that thick skull of yours are okay. Your mother is meeting you there and she might have called half a world right now. I’ll stay and give her your number,” she said and tugged him up. “If she finds you interesting at all, she’ll give you a call.”

“In the future, please be careful,” Padme added before turning around and blowing her whistle. “Hey! Don’t think I don’t see you chucking those bottles!” As she ran off, her curly brown ponytail whipped in the wind like a flag.

As the paramedics reached Anakin and helped him up, taking him to the ambulance, he turned to Ahsoka. “You better give her my number.”

“Scout’s honor.”

“You’re not a scout.”

“You’re not that irresistible.”

When he was out of sight, Ahsoka went to their spot and started packing their things. She was heading to the hospital and meet up with him and his mother. Watching him being dragged half-unconscious from the sea was scary enough to have her thinking twice about diving into ocean waters again. 

She approached Padmé’s station, all ready to leave. “Thanks again. For saving him. I know it’s your job, but… thanks.”

“He really  _ was _ drowning, right?” Padmé asked as she adjusted her sunglasses. “I have to deal with a  _ lot _ of teenage punks who pretend to do it so they can hit on the hot lifeguard. He isn’t one of them, is he?”

“No, he’s the sweetest guy on Earth and he actually doesn’t like the beach. Sand messes with his nervous system,” she chuckled. “He only comes because he knows I like it and he indulges me. He’s a smart cookie, very goofy and incredibly sappy, if you’re into that.”

After a moment, the brunette pulled the permanent marker off the wall with the lifeguard schedule and wrote out ten digits on Ahsoka’s forearm. “Fine. He can call me. But no beach dates.”

“I don’t think he would appreciate those either,” she grimaced, looking at her arm. “This washes off, right?”

“Sunscreen or coconut oil works well if you don’t have an alcohol-based cleaner.”

“Thanks. I’ll make sure he gets the message. Hope to see you around more often,” Ahsoka said, cheekily.

“Just as long as I don’t have to save him again.”

“Well, I don’t think you’ll have to do mouth to mouth again, but I think there’ll be plenty of chances for you to leave him breathless,” Ahsoka said, making a deliberately awful joke as Padmé groaned. “He’s funnier than me too.”

“He better be.”

“Goodbye, Padmé,” Ahsoka waved her fingers and skipped through the beach. Anakin just got himself a girlfriend and wow, what a story of how they first met. She couldn’t wait to share this with the rest of the boys.


	16. Always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories of past lives are a burden... and a blessing.

It was a regular day. He got up, did his morning workout, walked his dog, went back to his apartment to shower and change into some black slacks and blue shirt that brought out his eyes, with some dress shoes and his worn-out leather jacket. He had a meeting with some investors and while his mom kept trying to stuff him into suits, it really wasn’t his thing.

As he entered his favorite coffee shop, he stood in line, while checking his emails. It was when he heard a familiar voice that his world came to a stop. He raised his eyes and there she was. He was seeing her for the first time, since his memories of a torturous, painful former life crashed into him when he was only seventeen. She was at the front of the line, ordering and he was two, three people behind her.

His flight or fight instinct kicked in and he looked around. He couldn’t… no, he couldn’t face her, not when he knew… not when,  _ no, no, no, _ he turned around and headed for the exit, afraid to breathe.

“Ani?” The name came through the air with the grace and gentleness of a butterfly’s wings landing soft and sweet in his ear. A pair of chocolate eyes widened, a mane of glossy brown curls shook slightly, and a set of perfectly shaped pink lips remained open. “Ani, is that you?”

Anakin froze. He had two options and he was an expert at one of them. Lie that that part of you never existed. That you didn’t remember. It was easier. Easier than admitting to terrible things in your past. Turning around to face her, he kept his face neutral. “Sorry, have we met before?” He asked, tilting his head.

Padmé Amidala— because it was her, he would know that wide face, and the marks on her cheeks and the curves of her eyebrows and the slope of her nose anywhere— frowned, the grip on her coffee cup becoming tighter. “Do you remember a girl you met in a junk shop when you were nine?”

“Junk shop? Nine?”  _ My name is Anakin and I’m a person.  _ “When I was nine, my mom kept me out of those. Too many accidents waiting to happen. Spent more time at libraries instead. I think you might be mistaking me.”  _ Are you an Angel?  _ He was going to Hell.

“I just thought,” she shook her head and started heading for the door. “Never mind. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

“No, I’m sorry that I’m not who you think I am,” he replied and winced internally. “You seem great. Whoever he is, he’s lucky.”

She pauses and turns back to look at him. “I suppose he will be.”

* * *

Padmé changed coffee shops. She couldn’t go back to her old one, not when she knew that Anakin’s reincarnation went there. And how terribly unfair to have her be awake and him not!

She was on a hike this weekend, through the Muir Woods, to let herself stew among the peace and quiet that the redwood trees afforded her. But her mind kept asking questions. Why did she have to live with the memories of her husband trying to kill her in a past life? And know, despite what he did, that she’d died still loving him? That she’d  _ always _ love him? And he didn’t remember her at all? What sort of karma was that?

Far away, she could see a few silhouettes. Two guys, one petite young woman. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the woman was flailing her arms around wildly, the tall, bulkier man shaking his head and the built, but more slender one, was hunching.

She recognized Anakin immediately. But, who were the other two?

* * *

“You’re unbelievable,” Ahsoka screeched. Birds flying from the trees, terrified of her wrath. Anakin winced and Rex pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I couldn’t face her, Ahsoka, I don’t think I will ever be able to,” Anakin said in his defense. “You know more of the story than I do,” in short, his memories ended the moment he fell on his knees and pledged himself to the dark side. Shmi had theorized that it was perhaps because Anakin Skywalker died then and  _ Vader  _ took over. But still… “I would bring all sorts of nasty little memories. She deserves better.”

“You can’t be sure of that. Or decide for her,” Rex advised.

“You. Are. A. Moron,” Ahsoka punched his arm with every word. Her pigtails of black hair and blue highlights bouncing with her strength. Blue eyes wide with frustration. 

“Ow!” He pulled back from her. They all heard a branch snap and looked over to where the sound had come from. Anakin’s stomach dropped and looked over his shoulder. If he threw himself off of the cliff, it would hurt less.

Padmé stood, braced against two trees as she stared at them, unable to deny that she’d been eavesdropping. That she knew he’d lied. Without a word, she turned and began running back down the path she’d come.

“Go after her,” Rex told Anakin bluntly.

“I…” he hesitated, unable to move. 

“You  _ have _ to go after her,” Ahsoka confirmed. “You let her down in our past lifetime, Anakin, do you really want that to happen again?”

“No! That’s exactly why I lied!” He exploded. “Ugh, I’m leaving San Francisco after this,” he grumbled as he carefully chased her down the path. He would apologize for lying, tell her he was sorry for everything, and then disappear. He doesn’t know what was happening, but he couldn’t keep bumping into her like this. “Padmé, wait.”

“ _ Liar! _ ” she yelled, whirling on him with fire in her eyes.

Anakin winced and stepped back. “I know. I’m sorry. I panicked when I saw you and I’m not usually very open about… about  _ it _ . Only a handful of people know I’m awake.”

“I don’t care about that,” she snapped. “I care about what you did. Or are you going to pretend you don’t remember that?”

“My memories stop after… after I pledged myself to the dark side. I don’t remember anything else,” he said in a whisper, looking down.

“You tried to kill me,” she said bluntly. “You accused me of plotting to destroy you, and you tried to kill me. I barely survived long enough to deliver our babies, Anakin.”

He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He knew that. Ahsoka had told him some of the important details he might have missed. But hearing it for Ahsoka was one thing. Hearing it from Padmé, was a completely different one. “I’m sorry,” he said, softly. “I really, really, really am. I’m very sorry. I have no excuse. I don’t have a way to explain myself,” he paused and took a deep breath. “I was sick. It wasn’t hard to find out what went wrong with my brain. Hell, I got an MIT doctorate with an MD in Psychology for a reason,” he fisted his hands inside the pockets of his hoodie. “Depression. PTSD. Bipolar disorder. Personality disorder. Abandonment issues. Take your pick, I had it all. It was like a menu of what button to push next to self-destruct.  _ I am sorry. _ ”

“I loved you,” she replied simply. “I loved you in spite of all that.  _ Because _ of all that. I loved you in that lifetime. I probably loved you in lifetimes before. I love you now, Anakin, I think it’s just a part of our souls to always be drawn to each other. Which  _ should  _ horrify me, but it doesn’t. I’m not looking for excuses or explanations about why you did those things in the past, I  _ know _ why you did them. None of that is what upsets me.”

“I have my mental health under check, if it counts for something,” he muttered, kicking the dirt underneath his feet. “What does? If it’s not how fucked up I am, or was, or the terrible crimes I committed against you, everyone I loved, what does?”

“It’s that you still can’t trust me.” She walked towards him. “That you’re still acting as if I need protection. As if only you can make these decisions about  _ our _ lives. It’s that you won’t just let us be  _ us. _ That’s all I need. It’s all I’ve ever really needed.”

He looked at her, bewildered. “How can you still speak as if there was an  _ us _ after everything I’ve done to you? You should be pushing me off of a cliff.”

“I should,” she agreed, taking his hands in hers and squeezing tightly. “And I don’t know why I don’t want that, but the fact is, I don’t. All I want is your love.”

“You  _ really  _ mean that?”

“Can you give it to me?”

“It’s all I've ever done,” his shoulders dropped. “Or tried to do.” Her lips pursed and her eyebrows bent upwards, evidence that she was remembering something he could not. “God, don’t tell me, just push me from the cliff,” he sighed.

“Obi-Wan said you met them,” she said softly. “Our children. He said our son saved you.”

“Right, Obi-Wan,” From whom he has been running for the past year, “I dreamt about it, but it is… very unclear. I think my strength was rapidly disappearing so it’s blurry and incoherent... but in a way I guess I did. Let’s just…” he cringed, “hope they never wake up to that. Or I  _ will  _ kill myself.”

“I can agree that I don’t want them to endure that,” she nodded, “but it’s our son that made me want to see you again. Obi-Wan says that he… he felt the good in you. He believed in it. Just as I did.”

“You and Obi-Wan have been speaking a lot, I see,” he sighed. “He saved me in the end. From the seconds I can remember, I saw you in him and it made me find who I was for the last time. Enough to bring me peace.”

“They were my last words,” she admitted, “that there was still good in you. I’m glad our son could see it too.”

He joined their foreheads and nuzzled her cheek. How he had missed her and how he was going to spend the rest of their lives making up for the heartache he put her through in their past lives.

“Woo-hoo! They reconciled!” He heard Ahsoka scream excitedly behind him and rolled his eyes. “Told you, Rex.”

“That’s Ahsoka. If you were wondering,” he said, amused.

“I kind of figured it out. She’s not exactly subtle.”

Suddenly, they were separated as her arms were full of the young girl. “I missed you, Padmé,” she giggled. 

“Nope. Subtle is not her middle name,” Anakin poked her ribs.

“Shut it, Skyguy.”

“Can it, Snips.”

“Join us for the rest of the hike?” Rex offered to Padmé with a small smile. “I would love the company in taking care of these two.”

“I am always up for time with you troublemakers,” she laughed. “Just as long as you don’t tease me too much for holding Anakin’s hand.”

“Bet you are glad he has both of his real hands,” Ahsoka said, cheekily and Anakin shoved her forward. She winked and giggled, skipping in front of them. “All we have to do now is convince Anakin that Obi-Wan is not the bogey man and we can have him around.  _ Then  _ our gang is complete.”

“I think I can work something out there,” Padmé chuckled.

Anakin offered her his hand. “Shall we, my lady?”

“We shall, my knight.” In the distance, they could hear Ahsoka singing the wedding march, and Padmé groaned. “When we do that again, she’s not invited.”

“Try to keep her out,” he grinned widely.


	17. Yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After constantly getting each other for Secret Santa, Anakin and Padmé get creative with their gifts.

Anakin stared at the name of the Secret Santa and pursed his lips. For the third year in a row, Padmé was the one he always ended up exchanging gifts with. He would get her name sorted and she would have his. It was something they did in their group of friends, every Christmas. Exchanging gifts and for three years now, Padmé was the one he always ended up buying something for.

Not that he minded. Padmé was special. Very special. They’ve been best friends since they were young and their relationship was always special. He could trust Padmé to tell him the coldest of truths and be there for him through the most difficult times. When his mother went through cancer treatment, she was there through thick and thin. When he didn’t know how to organize himself in applying for college, she sat down with him and drilled the information into his brain and helped him get into MIT with distinction. He can’t remember an important moment where she wasn’t present. Graduations, mom’s last cancer treatment, birthday parties, first job, first house... 

_ Then why aren’t you two together?  _

It was a common question. He has answered it and he knows Padmé has as well. Several times. They were very good as friends. Incredible even, but they never found the timing to become more than that. 

Padmé always found herself in stable relationships with guys who were a much better fit for her - political types or artists that had the most eloquent speeches. Anakin had thought about it a lot when they were in their senior year of high school, moving to college, but he always felt that he fell short of her expectations. He was a live-in-the-moment type of guy, whose reckless behavior had a tendency of getting him into trouble. He couldn’t speak more than three languages, got bored very easily and politics made him fall asleep. He knew he wasn’t her style.

He sighed and closed the tab with her name on it. The worst part was that he knew he loved her, a lot, and that no matter how many girls went through his bed, no matter how many girls he tried to date, he would always be measuring them up against Padmé. In all honesty, it was why Amee had left him - but he never told Padmé that.

“Who did you get?” Kitster asked, rolling his chair to meet his.

Anakin glared at him. He would bet good money that Kitster and Dormé found a way to rig the random generator. “None of your business.”

His friend grinned from ear to ear. “Don’t be such a sour patch. Was it Padmé again? You guys are meant to exchange gifts for the rest of your lives. Like… she’s your Secret Santa forever and you are hers.”

“I don’t find it funny and when I do discover you rigged this on purpose, I’m going to whoop your ass,” Anakin huffed and turned back to his work. 

Kitster didn’t say anything. He just chuckled and rolled his chair away.

* * *

“Next year,  _ I’m _ running the drawing,” Padmé warned as she looked between her friends with a huff. “This is getting ridiculous.”

Dormé and Sabé exchanged a look, Rabé hid her chuckle behind a folder and Saché didn't bother to hide her cheeky grin. "Why, what's wrong with the way we do it?" She asked sweetly. 

“It’s getting a little repetitive, don’t you think?” Padmé huffed at the obviously fake display of innocence. “For people to get the same person, year after year?”

“I don’t have who I had last year,” Sabé argued.

"Me neither. It's a random generator, Padmé," Rabé shrugged. "You don't like who you got?" She asked, blinking innocently. 

“Of course not, I like all our friends. It’s just that it’s getting a little redundant for me in particular. And if it weren’t already going to charity, I’d bet my holiday bonus that the person who had me last year has me this year.”

"Of course not… So you don't like him? Or her?" Dormé smirked. "Well, you'll find out when we have our dinner next month," she quipped. 

“Forget it. I’m going shopping on my own. Now.” Padmé powered down her computer and grabbed her purse and jacket. “Don’t wait up for me,” she warned as she stormed out.

"She can't possibly be  _ that  _ upset," Saché shook her head. 

"It's a sore spot," Sabé shrugged. “Neither of them will admit it, we just have to keep doing this until  _ one _ of them breaks.”

"I'm putting a bet on the Whatsapp group on who will break first," Saché quipped as she took her phone and opened the group they had without Anakin and Padmé. 

**Sabé: She’s onto us, I think this is the year she admits it. Starting at $5, who wants in?**

**Kit: Anakin’s the same. Three years in a row, we’re not being subtle at all. I put 10$ on Anakin.**

**Rex: 10$ Anakin.**

**Ahsoka: 5$ Padmé. 5$ Anakin.**

**Dormé: Ahsoka, you can’t bet on both of them!**

**Ahsoka: Ugh. Decisions, decisions…**

**Amee: I’m picking Ani. He looked ready to burst. $10.**

**Rabé: Padmé stormed out. She didn’t hit us because it’s not proper.**

**Ahsoka: Fine. 5$ on Padmé. Just because I know Skyguy and I think he would throw himself from the bridge instead of risking his friendship with her.**

**Obi-Wan: WHY ARE YOU TEXTING ABOUT THIS?!?**

**Ahsoka: Grandpa is in the house.**

**Obi-Wan: Either take me out of this chat, or stop this childishness altogether. This is the last year. I swear.**

**Satine: Ben, be a dear and go check on Korkie, I think he’s crying.**

**Satine: Also 10$ on Anakin.**

**Satine: Make it 20$. 10$ for me and 10$ for Ben.**

**Obi-Wan: If nothing happens this year, we’re done messing with their lives. Got it?**

**Sabé: YOU’LL never hear about it again.**

* * *

Padmé moved through the aisles of the bookshop with a heavy sigh. Shopping for Anakin was getting more and more difficult, because she was always on the verge of buying something that said ‘boyfriend’ or ‘husband’ more than it did ‘childhood friend whom I keep getting for holiday gift swaps.’

“Padmé? You’re not at work? Who died?” She heard a familiar joking voice from behind her. She turned around to see Anakin standing before her.

“I took a half-day,” she admitted. “I’ve worked enough overtime that Bail was happy to let me do it. I just needed a little time to clear my head, and I figured I might as well take care of some holiday shopping while I was at it.”

He shook his head and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “It’s always good to see you. You seemed upset though. Everything alright?” Anakin tilted his head, some shopping bags already balancing from his fingers. "Even though you canceled on me last week for our weekly lunch, I'm open to hear your troubles," he winked. 

“I canceled last week because Sola had Braxton-Hicks and Darred  _ massively _ overreacted,” she said, rolling her eyes. “It wasn’t because of you. I’m sorry if you thought it was.”

"I know, P., I'm teasing,"he kissed her temple and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll buy you lunch. What do you feel like?" 

“There’s a nice Chinese place around the corner,” she said. “I could go for some dumplings.”

"Dumplings it is. And you can tell me what's bothering you."

“Okay.” She slid the book she’d been examining back into the shelf and re-shouldered her purse, falling in step with him as they left the shop. “I’m having trouble with the holiday swap gifts.”

He hesitated. "I feel you. I don't know what to get. Everything I see can be misunderstood." 

“Misunderstood is as good a word as any,” she agreed. “I pity the person who got Obi-Wan. He’s impossible to shop for.”

"I always get him funny socks. He secretly likes them. Last year I got some with reindeers and this year I found these hilarious, Grinch-themed ones," he snickered. 

“I think they’re going to end up being sock puppets for Korkie,” she warned with a laugh. “I got him cufflinks.”

“Cufflinks are nice and he’s the type of person to wear them with much more ease then me,” he said. She made a mental note to cross  _ that _ off her list and nodded.

“I’m expecting a lot of books,” she admitted. “From the guys, at least.”

Anakin was happy he didn’t buy her any. She loved books and could open her own shop with the personal library she had at home, but he wanted to stand out. “I always get clothes, gadgets, alcohol, stuff for hygiene and an ugly sweater from Owen,” he chuckled. “But I still have to see if I can convince my mom to offer me the new Playstation.”

“You say that like you’re fifteen rather than twenty-five,” she shook her head.

“Peter Pan syndrome,” he laughed.

“No kidding.”

He gave her a side-eye. Of course, she wanted her man to be more mature. With more… finesse. Anakin could try, but it wasn’t him. Well, it wasn’t  _ all  _ of him. He remembers Rush, one of her long-term relationships. He wore suits  _ all  _ the time. Tailored to him. Anakin suspected he  _ slept  _ in a suit. “One of these days, I’ll show you that I can be a very dashing adult.”

“Ani, there’s nothing wrong with being in touch with your inner child. It’s cute.”

_ Cute.  _ He could die. “It is, isn’t it?” He sighed. “Well, she’ll be pretty happy playing PS5 this Christmas.”

“Oh, she plays too? Well, I guess that changes things,” Padmé laughed as they reached the Chinese restaurant.

He rolled his eyes and opened the door for her. Padmé headed straight for the counter and grabbed a seat and a menu. Taking a seat next to her, he grabbed a menu as well, as his mind drifted to what he would buy her.

“It’s kind of sad, isn’t it?” she asked as the waiter behind the counter handed them two glasses of water. “I feel like the older I get, the more boring and repetitive my holidays become. It’s all books and tasteful jewelry and clothes.”

Anakin raised his eyebrows. “Boring? You shouldn’t consider your life boring at twenty-five. You know, Christmas happens every year and those gifts will keep on coming?” He shook his head. “You just feel like that because you’re single this year and there is no perfect beau to dote on you,” he muttered as he read over the menu and took a sip of water.

“Oh, God, please don’t remind me about the fact that I broke up with Palo for giving me a  _ nude painting  _ as a birthday gift.” He nearly choked on his water, as laughter erupted from his throat. “You didn’t know that, did you?” she groaned. “I thought everyone knew it.”

He laughed for some good five minutes, starting to earn some weird stares. “He gave you what? A  _ nude  _ painting? I knew he was missing a screw, I just didn’t know it was his only one,” he snorted and kept laughing to himself, tears almost falling from his eyes. “Oh, P., you sure can pick them.”

“I know. The nude painter and the insider trader. Why do I keep falling for guys who turn out to suck?” Anakin shrugged and she groaned. “Seriously, no insight?”

“What do you want me to tell you?”

“I don’t know, something useful? None of our other friends have been any help, and you’re the smartest one of them, so I thought, maybe… I don’t know.”

He shook his head. She didn’t want him to speak about her exes. He  _ had  _ opinions. “Maybe it’s because you always look for the same type of man.”

“What does that mean?”

“Older than you, because you want them to have maturity,” he put one finger up, “they need to have a good education background,” two fingers, “need to be fluent in a few different languages,” three fingers, “enjoy classical music, art, theatre, or arts in general,” four fingers, “need to be able to understand your political side and be able to discuss politics, news and other themes,” fingers fingers. He paused and then shrugged. “So far, all of them match the profile but have been a bust,” he sipped his water.

“You think I actually have a list with that, don’t you?” she asked with a raised eyebrow as the waiter returned. “Vegetable dumplings for me, please, fried, not steamed.”

“I would like some spring rolls and meat dumplings, please,” he said, handing back the menu. “I don’t mean that you check the items off a literal list, but… that’s your type,”  _ unfortunately for me. _

“So you think I need to break the pattern?” she surmised. “And what, date a bunch of biker dudes?”

“That was not what I said and you asked for my opinion,” Anakin scowled. “I meant that maybe, you should be more… I don’t know, inviting. Not that much exclusive. But, really, you go from there to bike dudes? Like, you have no middle?"

“Ani, lighten up, it was a joke,” she chided lightly, rubbing his shoulder.

"Well, you asked for my opinion," he mumbled. 

“I know, and I appreciate it. But you got so serious, I was trying to add a little fun back into this.”

"Can we stop talking about your love life then? I'm sure there are plenty of guys that match your standards at your office and you'll soon be in a relationship again," he shook his head. 

“Okay, fine, we don’t have to talk about my love life,” she conceded, taking another drink. “We can talk about yours. Are you and Amee going to get back together or not?”

_ If it wasn't for the fact that you are head over heels in love with Padmé, we might have had a shot, but I can never measure up to her.  _ He pursed his lips. "No. I don't think so."

“That’s a bummer, you guys were cute together.”

"Ahsoka said we were too blonde together," he snorted. 

“Okay, yeah, you  _ were _ very blonde together.”

Anakin shook his head with a smile. "I just might put off dating for awhile."

“Well, that’s a shame,” she said before flushing pink a little. “I mean… you just… you’re a great guy.”

"Of course you have to say that, you're my best friend."

“No, really, it’s true.”

"You're biased," he chuckled. "I'm buying you food."

“That’s not why I’m biased, I’m biased because you did a very good job of flattering me when we were nine, and I like keeping around someone who boosts my ego,” she teased. “It’s not every day someone calls you an angel.”

"Good God, you are never letting that go, are you?" His cheeks burned hot. "I was  _ nine. _ " 

“And it was adorable, and the exact moment you became my best friend.” He shook his head, smiling. Yes, it was. And just like that, he had a gift swap idea.

* * *

“So, if I’m getting this right, you took a half day at work, ran into Anakin, went out to lunch, and flirted with him.”

“I did not flirt!” Padmé protested as her cheeks burned hot and she glared at her very pregnant sister. “And you’re lucky you’re stuck on bedrest right now.”

“You  _ did  _ flirt, you guys are just so used to one another, that you can’t read between the lines and it’s frustrating,” Sola argued, rubbing her swollen stomach. 

“You sound like Sabé and the girls.”

“With so many people telling you the same thing, you would think you get the hint. What’s stopping you?”

“He’s my best friend! He clearly doesn’t feel that strongly about me, or at least he doesn’t feel strongly enough about it to risk our friendship, and if he doesn’t want it, I shouldn’t even think about it!”

Sola bit the inside of her cheek and looked at her younger sister. The favorite. The brains of the family. The dumbest girl on the planet. “You told me that he gave you a ‘list’ of your preferences for a partner, right?”

“Yes, and it was ridiculous.”

“How so?” Her sister prompted.

“Well, for one thing, I don’t have a requirement for multilingual partners.”

“Oh, P., you are hopeless,” Sola shook her head. “That list he has… he didn’t know it by heart because it was your preferences.”

“ _ Do _ enlighten me.”

Her sister paused and then sighed. “He knows it by heart because it’s the reasons he has listed of why you would never choose him.”

“Well, I can’t exactly choose him if he never gives me the option to choose him!”

“Padmé, why did he and Amee break up?” Sola asked, exasperated. “They were  _ perfect  _ together. Like… so  _ perfect  _ it was disgusting.”

“He doesn’t want to talk about it, and I’m not about to push his boundaries.”

Sola grabbed her phone and scrolled down her contact list. She glanced between her sister and her phone and shrugged. Everyone was trying to act with tact, but she was pregnant, hormonal, and bored. She needed to shake things up. She dialled it and put it on speaker. “ _ Hi, Sola. How’s the pregnancy going?” _ Amee’s chirpy voice sounded from the other end.

“Awful. This girl is kicking my ribs, I’m bedridden, it’s tedious.”

“ _ Aww, babe, sorry to hear that. Not long to go now. _ ”

“True. Hey, Amee, I’m sorry to be calling about this, but…  _ Darred, _ ” she glared at her sister, “is being a pain. He doesn’t believe what I told him about your break-up with Anakin.”

“I am going to kill—” Padmé’s threat was cut off by Sola clapping a hand over her mouth. “Mmmph!”

“ _ Oh. _ ”

“Can you tell him?”

“ _ Sure, it’s no big secret. I mean, I guess he has been saying that we just drifted apart, which is not exactly a lie but… yeah, I can be with a guy who’s in love with someone else. I can’t measure up to Padmé, no matter how hard I tried. I mean, I love her, she’s a sweetheart and Anakin is crazy about her. _ ”

Sola glanced at her sister triumphantly. “And you told him that?”

“ _ Word for word. He didn’t deny it. I feel sorry for him. He sells himself short, you know? He’s much better than the guys she’s seen in the past, and he feels like he’s always less. _ ”

“True. Thanks, I owe you one.”

“ _ Don’t mention it. Send me a pic of the kid when she finally graces us with her presence, _ ” Amee laughed. “ _ Bye, Sola. _ ”

“Bye! See you soon.” Sola hung up and removed her hand from Padmé’s mouth. “Well?”

“I… I have to go.”

Sola nodded. “Glad I could help.”

* * *

“Okay, who’s left for Secret Santa?” Ahsoka yelled as she downed another glass of eggnog. There were a few snickers and whistles as everyone looked at Anakin and Padmé, the only two people left with boxes in their hands.

“I feel like this is a violation of traditional gift swap rules,” Padmé sighed, fiddling with the bow on her green silk wrap dress.

“Next year, I’m in charge of it,” Anakin scoffed and extended a small, lavender box with a silver ribbon towards Padmé. “Merry Christmas, P.” She smiled and untied the ribbon, lifting the lid.

“Oh, Ani, it’s lovely!” She pulled out the delicate silver chain with a pendant of diamond studded wings dangling from the end. “Thank you, I’ll cherish it,” she promised as she looped it around her neck and clasped it.

“You’re welcome,” he beamed and swatted Ahsoka who was making kissing sounds.

“It’s not backwards, is it?”

“No, it’s fine,” he nodded. “You actually gave me the idea over lunch that day.”

“Well, it’s my turn then, I guess, so,” Padmé took a breath and opened the box in her hands, taking out a shiny red ribbon and sticking it in her hair.

The room went quiet but Anakin chuckled. “What? I’m not accepting hair, P.,” he snorted and grabbed the box, turning it over. “It’s empty,” he frowned. “Rude.”

“No, Anakin, the gift… it’s me. I’m yours.”

He just stared at her, blinking, face covered with uncertainty. Ahsoka waved a hand over his face but no reaction. “Yeah… you broke him.”

“We’ll leave you two,” Obi-Wan stood. “Come on, everyone,” all of the people in the room, except for Anakin and Padmé, gave him an evil eye, “there’s more  _ eggnog  _ in the kitchen,” he said, glaring at each and every one of them.

“Anakin?” Padmé pulled the ribbon from her hair as she walked toward him and everyone else slowly left the room, Obi-Wan removing some by force. “Can you hear me?”

“Y-You’re mine?” He stuttered. “What do you mean, you’re mine?”

“I mean, I’m asking you out on a date. Not as my friend, but…” She trailed off, blushing deeply.

“Me? You’re asking me out?” Anakin widened his eyes.

“Yes, Ani. And I don’t want to be a pain or anything, but an answer would kind of be appreciated?”

He opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her, arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her flush against him. When she moaned, he took the liberty of invading her mouth and exploring every corner with his tongue.  _ Yours.  _ Anakin was sure no gift could ever top that. 


	18. Things Left Unsaid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some language restrictions now that Anakin and Padmé are parents. Ahsoka objects.

“You have got to be fu—”

“Do  _ not _ finish that word!” Padmé covered Luke’s ears as she glared at Ahsoka. “I  _ know _ we sent you the email about the no-no words, Ahsoka Tano, did you seriously ignore it?”

“Your replacement for the no-no words is trash,” Ahsoka pointed out.

“I don’t care, they’re my kids, and I don’t want them learning swears yet. Anakin, will you  _ please _ back me up on this?”

“I  _ fluffing  _ hate them too, but she has a point,” he shrugged as he kept Leia entertained.

“Ugh, you’re no help at all!” Padmé threw up her hands in frustration.

“I guess some things will be just left unsaid,” Ahsoka observed. “Because, no way in hell, will I say  _ fluffing  _ or  _ sugar  _ to replace certain words.”

“Then I guess we’re looking for a new babysitter.”

Ahsoka pouted. “ _ Fluff,”  _ Anakin snorted and laughed, making Leia giggle too.

“ _ Thank you,” _ Padmé sighed, as she picked Luke up and set him on her hip. “Now, come on, we still have to go over mealtime and bedtime protocols before we head out for our reservation.”

“You know, I have experience as a babysitter, right? I also know the Skybabies’ routine. They’ll be fine. Just go on your date.  _ Please. _ ”

“I swear to God, Ahsoka, if we come back and even a  _ hair _ is out of place—”

“Skyguy, will you get your  _ fluffing _ wife out of here before she loses her  _ sugar? _ ”

Anakin shook his head and set Leia down on the playpen, kissing her curls. “Give Luke to Ahsoka,” he said, placing his hand in the middle of Padmé’s back. “ _ Before  _ we lose our reservation.”

Padmé sighed and covered the toddler’s face with kisses. “Mommy loves you so much, be good, and set an example for your sister and Ahsoka.”

“They’ll be more occupied sleeping. Come on, Padmé, we’ve been pushing this date since you were given the all-clear… three  _ fluffing  _ months ago!”

“Okay, okay, I get it.” Padmé finally placed Luke next to Leia in the playpen. “I’m coming.”

“Not yet you’re not, that comes later tonight.”

“ _ Ahsoka! _ ”

“Good night, Ahsoka, don’t make me regret vouching for you,” Anakin sighed and tugged his wife towards the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re not done with Flufftober yet, but we want to thank everyone for the lovely comments you’ve been leaving us! It’s a delight!


	19. Hand Holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé helps Anakin adjust to his new mechno-arm. And asks him a question.

Padmé slowly bent the fingers down and back up again, keep her brown eyes locked on Anakin’s blue ones. “Are you feeling okay?”

He shrugged, glancing down at the foreign mechanical arm, attached to his body. It had been a week since he left the Temple and the Jedi had allowed him to rest in Naboo and take the time he needed to get used to his new situation. “As okay as I can,” he whispered, chewing on the inside of his cheek.

“Hey,” She raised the cold metal fingers to her lips, kissing them softly. “You’re alive. And we’re together. Isn’t that what’s most important?”

Anakin managed to smile and nod. “Yes, but,” he frowned as he moved his metal fingers. “It’s not the same. It’s not fair.”

“I know,” she said, running her thumb against the back of the prosthetic. “But maybe you’d prefer it if the hand holding were in a different context?”

He raised one eyebrow lazily. They were sitting in the balcony, the warm sun hitting them and it had to be a very good proposition for him to stop being lazy while he could. “Oh? What do you suggest?”

“Well, I don’t know how it’s done on Tatooine, but on Naboo, a marriage ceremony ends with the newlyweds’ hands clasped together.”

“You’re already holding my hand, Angel,” he smiled, widely before her words dawned on him. “Wait. Newlyweds?”

“Yes, Ani. Newlyweds. I’m asking you to marry me.”

“But… What about your career? I don’t want you to jeopardize what you love the most for me. I know how much being a Senator means to you,” he squeezed her hand gently, and she squeezed back.

“Obi-Wan told me to stay away from you,” she pointed out. “And I said I would. I’m already breaking that rule and hiding this from him, what’s a few more at this point? We’re at war now, any day could be our last. If that’s the case, I’d rather be your wife than a woman who loved you and lost you before we could share everything together. So… will you marry me, Anakin? Please?”

“Of course. Of course, I’ll marry you. I’ll do so every day,” he pulled her forward and kissed her softly. She laughed slightly against his lips, tapping her fingers on the mechno-arm that was now wrapped around her waist.

“I don’t care what kind of hands you have, Anakin Skywalker, so long as they can hold me every night we’re together.”

“Having you in my arms every night, makes losing my arm worth it,” he nuzzled her cheek and rested his head against her shoulder. “I’m so happy I found you again. I am even happier you love me back. I’ll spend every waking hour, making sure you never regret that decision.”


	20. Enigmatic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces. She's the best intelligence agent in the Rebel Alliance. Neither knows the truth about the other. And they're sleeping together.

“Anakin. Fancy meeting you here, my enigmatic young friend,” Padmé took a sip from her cocktail as she looked over the handsome young man. She’d been slipping into enough Imperial soirées and fundraisers now that running into him was something of a tradition. And she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t come to enjoy it.

Vader gave her a once over and smiled. A small one, but it was dazzling nonetheless. He liked her. She seemed to be the only person in the Galaxy who didn’t immediately recognize him and that was refreshing. Well, she had a good excuse. In fundraisers and soirées, he avoided the heavy black cloak that he usually wore, with the hood hiding his face and he did his best to hide the golden color of his eyes, preferring his human blue ones. It was amazing what people said when they were half-drunk and didn’t know who they were speaking with. “Veré,” he said, content. “You call me enigmatic? You’re the one that comes and goes. I don’t know you at all,” he added with a small chuckle.

“Well, if you knew everything about me, then the allure would be gone, wouldn’t it?” she pointed out with a smirk. “I only come to these things because I have to. And you’re always the most enjoyable aspect of the night.”

“You flatter me,” he tucked one strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek. “You look lovely.”

“Oh, you think so?” She held out the gauzy, gem-studded blue skirt of her borrowed gown, flowing enough that it hid the blaster that was strapped to her thigh. She would have preferred a lightsaber, but that was just too risky.

“I like you in blue,” he grinned and leaned down to kiss the corner of her lips. “It will look great on the floor tonight.”

“Getting ahead of yourself, aren’t we, Anakin? I could be here on a date,” she pointed out with a smirk as she pulled back coyly.

“No, you’re not,” he nipped at the curve of her neck. “You know you’re mine when we meet like this, why resist it?”

“Because,” she replied, ducking away from him, “I don’t want to be yours. I want you to be mine.” Alliance High Command was still wary of these missions, but she had convinced them that she could sway Anakin to become a double agent on their behalf. And she wanted that desperately, she cared about him so deeply now that it pained her to know he was on the wrong side.

“It doesn’t work like that, love, I’m no one’s,” he pouted as she pulled away from him.

“But I’m supposed to be yours? That hardly seems fair.” She finished the drink and set it down, preparing to move away.

He grabbed her by the waist and brought her possessively against his chest. “We’ll see how you feel when I make you come so hard, so many times, you’re not even sure who you are.”

“Oh, I promise you, Anakin, I know exactly who I am at all times. But I’m not sure if you know. Regardless of what you’re able to make me do.”

“Trust me, love, I know Veré is a name taken from a fairytale, and I’m deciphering you as I go, but it doesn’t invalidate what you make me feel.”

“And is Anakin any less of a fantasy?” she countered, tilting her head as she looked at him. “No surname, no rank, we’re both liars, aren’t we? Why should either of us trust anything the other says?”

“Skywalker. That’s my last name. I told you I’m a soldier, what does rank mean to you? I didn’t lie about my name,” he raised his eyebrows.

“If you say so.”

“Does it matter who we are?”

“It does if you want to live in a real world, and not just a fantasy.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned down, to kiss her passionately, almost savagely. His tongue fought with hers for dominance, his hands lowered down to the curve of her ass and he pressed every inch of her body against his. Against her better judgment, she melted into him, her moan muffled by his mouth covering hers.

“Let’s leave,” she whispered.

“Yes, please,” he shuddered, his pants already feeling tight. He took her hand and led her out of the party. He had a suite in the hotel under an alias and he could get them there in minutes. He just needed to grab his speeder. Fortunately, it was easy to reach it. He helped her inside. “I hope your  _ date  _ doesn’t mind you leaving without him.”

“You know damn well there’s no date,” she sighed as she clipped her safety belt into place. Vader grinned before starting the speeder. His free hand, however, drifted to her skirts and he lifted them until his hand was caressing the skin of her thigh and going to the inviting warmth between her legs. She shifted away, her cheeks flushing. “Not here.”

His hand gripped her skin. “Trust me,” he asked, glancing between her and the traffic.

“We could crash,” she protested.

He chuckled. “We won’t,” his fingers brushed her undergarments.

“Anakin, please,” she whimpered.

Vader only smiled and pushed the fabric aside, brushing his fingers against her clit, rubbing a finger over her entrance, and feeling her already wet for him. “If you already feel good, I can’t imagine when we reach the bedroom.”

Padmé pressed her legs together and grabbed his arm. “Keep yourself under control until then, or I might change my mind.” In response, he just pushed one finger inside of her and curled it a couple of times. “Anakin,  _ no _ ,” she moaned.

“Why?” He stilled his movements but didn’t take his hand away.

“Because I don’t want us to crash, and I don’t want us getting pulled over for public lewdness.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled his hand away. “None of those things are going to happen,” he scoffed and took his fingers to his mouth and sucked. “But fine.”

“Thank you,” she sighed. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Hmph, you better,” he pouted.

* * *

“So, did I?” Padmé asked as she laid back on the ridiculously plush pillows of the hotel bed.

“Did you what?” He asked breathlessly.

“Make it up to you,” she replied with a smirk.

He laughed. “Yes. Indeed you did. You’re a woman of your word.”

“Thank you.” She wrapped an arm around his chest, cuddling close. “How long do you think we can stay here before we have to go back?”

“All night, if you want,” he kissed the top of her head. He peeked to the floor. “Told you the dress would look better on the floor.”

“Yes, well, thankfully, you didn’t tear it to shreds,” she laughed. “Then I’d be going home naked.”

“No, in a sheet, because I would kill whoever saw you naked beside me,” he buried his face in her hair, sighing happily.

“You wouldn’t.” She shook her head. “You’re a good person.”

“To you.”

“It doesn’t have to just be me,” she pointed out softly. “Kindness costs nothing, Anakin. Doing the right thing can be its own reward.”

“You see the world in a very naive kind of way,” he said, just as softly. “Kindness is not rewarded. I lost people to kindness. Sometimes, you need to have thick skin and think of yourself first. This is how you survive.”

“Survival isn’t enough. Life needs kindness,” she argued. “If it were down to your survival or mine, what would you choose?”

Vader looked at her, shock coloring his features. She didn’t know who he was, what he  _ did  _ for a living, and what choices he had to do that stained his hands with blood. “Are you asking me if I love you?” He sighed, frustrated that she had to ruin the moment, and pulled away, sitting up.

“Maybe?” She pulled away, looking confused at his frustration. “Because I know enough to know I’d give my life to save you.”

He shook his head. She was an idiot. A naïve idiot and he was honestly afraid she had a martyr complex. Ever since they met up for the first time, he looked for her in every corner of the fundraisers and soirées, in every new face he met along his path. She couldn’t be this stupid. For his sake. “You shouldn’t be so certain, you don’t know me. How can you say that about someone you  _ don’t  _ know?” 

“You knew enough to say I’m yours, why is this any different?”

“It just is. Because I don’t want to imagine you with anyone else when we’re together. So, when we are, you’re mine,”  _ and when we’re not, I think about you and if you’re with someone and then I imagine the countless ways I could kill that someone.  _

“Must you insist on such mysteries and vague hints?” Padmé clucked her tongue as she sat up and reached over to grab the bottle of wine they’d opened earlier, taking a long drink. “Do you ever go beyond the moment when we’re together? Do you picture our future?”

“What’s wrong with living in the moment?” He made a face. “The future brings nothing but unrealistic expectations for yourself.”

“Or something to hope and fight for.” Vader just leaned against the headboard. He ended up shrugging. He got nothing.

She glanced at the chrono on the wall and sighed. “Maybe I should just go.”

“Wait… I don’t have my future planned. I don’t. I live day by day. I learned not to expect anything from the future,” he confessed with a sigh.

“I’m not talking about expecting things from the future, I’m talking about picturing the future you want to make.”

Vader swallowed the lump in his throat as he brushed his fingertips up and down her arm. “I never did that.”

“Maybe it’s time we changed that.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. “But for now, just stay right here,” he wrapped his arms around her and brought her to his chest.

“Anakin,” she whimpered against his lips, “please…”

“Sssh,” he brushed his lips over hers. “Stop thinking for one night, one night only,” his hands traveled lower in her body, full of promises. “Because I think I might love you after all.”


	21. I Don’t Understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin, Padmé, and the gang face off against a dreaded enemy... IKEA instructions.

Anakin let the wood fall to the ground with a loud growl. “Why didn’t we buy an  _ American  _ crib? Why do I have to put up with this  _ Swedish  _ crap?” He kicked the box to the side, frustrated. He, Rex, and Ahsoka had been trying to put together the IKEA crib Padmé had insisted she loved. It was a demon trap!

“Because this one was more affordable while still being sturdy and safe,” Padmé retorted as she rearranged the instruction booklet.

“Padmé, this is crap,” Anakin huffed. “We put a baby here, let alone two, and the whole thing falls apart,” he shook his head. “We should have gone to Pottery Barn.”

“It’s only crap because you’re not following the instructions!”

“He’s sort of right,” Ahsoka grimaced looking at the picture. “You trust these weak little legs?”

“They are not  _ weak _ , this is rated one of the safest cribs we could have gotten!”

“I think it’s small,” Rex frowned. “Are you fitting two chubby kids here? So you can smooch them together?” Ahsoka snorted and hid her laughter behind her hand.

“The twins are not going to be  _ chubby _ !”

“You have seen my baby pics?” Anakin asked as he sat down again, ready to put the piece of trash together.

“Have you seen mine?”

“You might get a chubby baby boy and a tiny Princess,” Ahsoka pointed out as she started to tell Rex the pieces he needed to give Anakin in their order.

“I swear, I don’t understand Swedish people, why do they put themselves through this,” Anakin sighed.

“I read they don’t include text instructions so that everyone can understand this, but that’s turning out to be bullshit,” Rex commiserated as he squinted at the drawings.

“I suggest trying with a dummy, to see if this keeps upright,” Ahsoka shook her head.

“Here goes nothing!” Anakin shook his head and focused. He would put this together and then, they would see how trustworthy it really was.

* * *

Four hours later and it was done. The crib was standing and the four of them stood around it, glancing at each other.

“I don’t trust it,” Rex frowned.

“Neither do I,” Anakin poked its sides, expecting it to fall.

Ahsoka pursed her lips and grabbed a teddy bear that still had the tag and threw it on top of the small mattress, the thing shook and both Anakin and Rex took a step back. She grabbed a bigger, heavier toy and threw it next to the teddy bear.

It came crashing down with a loud bang of clattering wood.

Padmé groaned. “Fine, you win, we’ll return it and buy a pre-assembled crib.”

“Good,” Anakin grimaced.

“Don’t be too smug, I’m only agreeing to this because that thing is a death trap _only_ in the hands of you three.” She rubbed at her belly just as Artoo jumped up into her arms, purring loudly. “Good kitty. Maybe we’ll splurge and get you a new bed too.”


	22. Do You Trust Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Padmé’s neighbor is actually a sleeper agent and he is ‘activated’ when her life is in danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for the description of blood being on everything. We kind of tested the limits of “fluff” for this one.

“Report in.”

Anakin pinched the bridge of his nose as he answered his burner phone. “Everything is as it was yesterday. She went to work at eight, got home around five, did her laundry and went for a run. Returned and snuggled on the couch with her cat and Netflix. There is not much else to tell you.”

“Good,” Obi-Wan nodded. “Good, that’s exactly what we want for her. We’ve had some activity on Gunray, so keep an eye out. He may be coming for her. Stay on high alert.”

“He’s not getting within ten feet of her!”

“Stay calm, Anakin, do not let your emotions cloud your judgment. I know you’ve been watching her for three years, but maintaining boundaries is still vital.”

The younger man bit the inside of his cheek and looked around the bedroom he was in. Padmé’s bedroom. His clothes were scattered along the floor, mixed with hers and he was naked, between the sheets, with just the top covering his lower region. “Boundaries. Yes, sir.” Obi-Wan would have a heart attack if he knew.

“Check-in tonight. 1800 hours. Do you copy?”

“Copy. Now I have to go. Goodbye,” he hung up as he heard the shower finishing. He quickly put the phone away in his pants and laid back down lazily on the bed.

“Hey,” Padme emerged from the bathroom, wearing a robe and towel. “Everything okay? You look a little flushed.”

“Just work stuff, nothing serious,” he smiled, eyeing her appreciatively. “Do you want to miss work?” Anakin asked cheekily, sitting so the sheet slid down even lower.

“I mean, it’s tempting, but I do have a presentation that I can’t really miss.” She bent over to kiss his cheek. “I’ll make it up to you tonight with a home-cooked meal, okay?”

“I’ll be waiting for you,” he promised with a beaming smile.

“Thank you.” She gave him a long, lingering kiss on the lips. “See you when I get home.”

“Bye, Angel, I love you.”

* * *

This was _not_ the scenario she would be expecting. After all, three men lying dead in the recently carpeted floor was not a promising sight. And blood was a bitch to get out of the rugs. Anakin felt his ribs hurt and his head sort of swimming as his head had slammed against the brick wall. There was definitely blood running down his face and he’d never been happier that Obi-Wan had drilled into him the necessity of wearing a bulletproof vest twenty-four seven while undercover. If it wasn’t for that piece of advice, he would be dead by now.

From his cat tower, Artoo surveyed the scene, meowing loudly as Padmé’s keys rattled in the door.

 _Shit. She’s going to hate me._ Anakin grabbed the cat, who meowed again in protest, but he didn’t care. Gunray had found her and they needed to leave. _Like, yesterday._ Assassins would be swarming the place soon and he easily took down three, but he didn’t like his chances against an army.

“Artoo, I’m back, so don’t…” Padmé stopped short in the doorway, keys still in hand. “Ani, what on earth happened? Did one of the feral cats attack you?”

“We have to go and I’ll explain in the car,” he said as he thrust Artoo into her hands and dragged her out of the door. 

“What?!” She stumbled behind him, a heel snapping off her shoe. “I’m not going anywhere until you explain what’s going on!”

“Not a chance, baby, we’re going to get killed if we stay,” he bent down and took her heels off, making her barefoot. He practically carried her until his black SUV and opened the passenger door. “Enter, we’ll be surrounded by snipers in minutes, we don’t have a lot of time to stick around.”

“ _Snipers?_ ” Padmé repeated in horror. _No, it couldn’t be… he’s supposed to be gone… I’m supposed to be safe._ “Why the hell would there be snipers, Anakin?”

“Gunray,” he explained simply as he buckled her in the seat and closed the door, running to the driver’s side and entering. He immediately started the engine and put the car on the move, not bothering with speed limits. “He’s coming for you,” he said, softly. “I’m sorry.”

“Let me out.” She reached for the door. “Let me out right now.”

The doors were locked and he shook his head. “You’re not safe on your own. If he found you and after all the work the agency went through, _I_ went through, then it’s bad. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“How do I know you’re not just saying this to bring me straight to him?” she challenged.

Anakin was facing the road, so she couldn’t see the hurt that flashed across his eyes. She had every right to be angry, mad, confused. “Let’s put it this way, if I wanted you dead, you would be dead. If I was here to bring you to Gunray, he would have had you a long time ago. I’m one of the good guys.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I know,” he smiled, sadly. “I don’t blame you. But I am on your side. Only on your side. I’ll do whatever’s best for you because… you were my mission and as cliché as this sounds, I did fall in love with you and I’m not going to allow any harm to come to you.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m in love with you anymore. Not when it was all a lie.”

“No, Padmé, it wasn’t. My name _is_ Anakin Skywalker. I _did_ graduate from MIT and I _do_ have a programmer job. The woman that you met _is_ my mother. I am a sleeper agent for the NSA, protective details. They recruited me when I entered college, I was supposed to be a hacker, _their_ hacker, but I decided to broaden my horizons for a field agent badge,” he glanced at her. “I know I hid a pretty big side of who I am, but it doesn’t make it any less real.” 

She didn’t look at him, holding Artoo tightly in her arms as she glared out the window.

“Babe… love, _Angel,_ ” he called. “Do you trust me?” He asked, quietly.

“Do I have a choice?”

He sighed. “Right now? No.”

“You could have just told me.”

“I wanted to. So many times. But I would have jeopardized you and made you worry unnecessarily. Besides, I’m breaking all the rules here, once my handler knows we’ve been dating, he’ll slap me with an internal audit and I might get permanently suspended but…” he smiled at her, “you’re worth it.”

After a long pause, she spoke in a much smaller voice. “Gunray’s really coming for me?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “But he won’t succeed.”

“Where are we going?”

“Safe house, I have to report the incident and we need to wait for a rescue crew to come and pick us up.”

“And what happens when the rescue crew picks us up?”

His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You’ll be placed in federal custody. Witness Protection until he’s no longer a threat.”

“We’ll be separated.”

“Indefinitely.”

“No…”

“It’s what’s best for you. I won’t stop until Gunray is destroyed, I swear. Once he is, I’ll look for you again.”

“I’m not going anywhere if you won’t be with me,” she said stubbornly

“Love,” he took her hand. “Let’s go through one day at a time,” he took her knuckles to his lips and dropped a kiss there. “My first concern is keeping you alive.”

“Anakin, please. I just left my entire life behind, you and Artoo are all I have left of it. Don’t let them take you from me too.”

“I’ll do my best. But you need to trust me. I’ll ask again. Do you?”

“I trust _you_ , the rest of the people you work with, not so much.”

He winked at her. “I am all you need.”

“So you won’t let them separate us?”

Anakin sighed. “I’ll do whatever’s best for your security.”

“Not good enough.”

“I love you, Padmé. I’ll do whatever’s necessary for your safety and happiness. That’s all I can promise.”

“I love you too, that’s why I don’t want to lose you. Promise me...”

He took her hand to his lips again and kissed her knuckles. “You’ll always have a piece of me with you. Always.”

“Okay,” she sighed, “okay, I’ll trust you.”


	23. Childhood Bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The visit to Padmé’s family home ends somewhat differently.

Padmé moved through her childhood bedroom with purpose, moving only what she knew she needed into her travel bags. “Don't worry, this won't take long.”

“I just want to get there before dark,” Anakin said as she went on packing, and he took the time to look around the room. “You still live at home.”

“I move around so much, I've never had a place of my own. Official residences have no warmth. I feel good here. I feel at home,” she explained.

“I never had a real home. Home was always where my Mom was.” He picked up a framed hologram of an eight-year-old girl surrounded by several little green children, holding one in her arms. Every face in the hologram was smiling. “Is this you?”

“That was when I went with the Relief Group to Shadda-Bi-Boran. Their sun was imploding, and the planet was dying. I was helping to relocate the children,” Padmé explained, moving next to him so that she could look at the preserved memory. “See that little one I'm holding? His name was N'a-kee-tula, which means sweetheart. He was so full of life... All those kids were. I did everything I could to save him, but he died... they all did. They were never able to adapt... to live off their native planet.”

Her eyes drifted to another hologram, this one showing her a little older, wearing official robes and standing between two robed legislators with a severe expression. “That one’s from my first day as an Apprentice Legislator. Notice the difference?”

“Yes. Your innocence,” he pointed out. “It was gone.”

“I was lucky to ever have it,” she nodded. “When I think about what you and other children like you went through on Tatooine, what so many people still go through, I feel so selfish.”

“Selfish? You dedicated your life to others, Padmé, that’s not being selfish,” Anakin pointed out softly.

“I could have done more,” she protested. “But I haven’t. And I feel guilty for the comforts I have now.”

“What you have, you earned it and you give back. You try to make this Galaxy better. You save as many as you can, you shouldn’t feel like that,” he said softly, taking her hands. She flushed slightly as she looked up at him, her heart suddenly racing wildly. “You’re doing amazing, Senator,” he beamed.

“Anakin,” she whispered breathlessly. 

He squeezed her hand tighter, as his eyes traveled from her eyes to her lips. Her teeth sank into her lower lip, as if she were strong enough in the Force to know what he was thinking, then, slowly, she nodded. Anakin leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. Her mouth parted slightly, allowing his tongue entry as she pressed against his body and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Kriff, I’m a liar,” she mumbled when she pulled back for air.

“What?” He asked, breathless, his mind still reeling from the kiss.

“I just told my mother and my sister that there wasn’t anything between us.”

“Technically, you didn’t lie. There  _ wasn’t  _ anything between us,” he gave her a boyish smile as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Anakin smiled and pecked her lips. “We should go.”

“We should,” she agreed, and yet her body didn’t move.

He bit his lower lip. “In Varykino?”

He’d remembered the estate name, while she was having difficulty remembering her own. “Right. Varykino. Of course. We need to get there before it gets dark.”

“And we can finish this,” he promised quietly as he was the first one to pull away.

“But what about…” she trailed off. There was no good way to finish the sentence. Their duties? The Jedi Code? Her position as a Senator?

Anakin kissed her again. He didn’t want to talk about that now. All he wanted to think about was this moment, this kiss in her childhood bedroom.


	24. Serendipity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While on vacation in Portugal, Anakin and Padmé keep meeting.

The day was hot, really hot, however, by the river, the soft breeze made it bearable as they walked down towards the Belém tower. The sky was a vibrant blue and since it was still early, as they had decided to stop by the traditional Portuguese pastries, it wasn’t very crowded.

“It’s so gorgeous, it’s almost as if it was standing on its own private island,” Ahsoka commented as she sat on the steps that led to a miniature beach. 

“I bet when the tide rises it floods the beach,” Shmi said, finishing her pastry.

“Are we really going to walk  _ all  _ the way to…” she checked her phone, “ _ padrão descobrimentos, _ ” she tried in Portuguese. “Looks far.”

“It’s really not,” Shmi replied. “It’s a long walk, but it’s easily done. The views are beautiful and the weather helps.”

“Yeah, Snips, stop being lazy,” Anakin chuckled as he took photos, and when he changed angles, he stopped, as he caught the most beautiful face ever. He lowered his camera and just stared at the girl. She had luscious, wavy brown hair that was up in an elegant ponytail and eyes hidden by sunglasses. As she laughed with her friends, he had never seen a more beautiful sight. “Wow. I should have come to Portugal a long time ago.”

“Oh, my god, are you about to hit on some poor unsuspecting local girl?” Ahsoka gagged. “Gross.”

“No,” he scoffed. “But she’s pretty.”

“Way too pretty for you.”

“Ahsoka, be nice,” Shmi scolded.

“Or an accident might happen and you trip and fall into the river,” Anakin threatened.

“Anakin, really,” his mother sighed. “I know I raised you better than that.”

He shrugged and continued taking pictures. “We should go, though, if we want to complete the riverside walk from Belém to Algés,” he added.

“You’re going on the walk from Belém to Algés?” An unfamiliar female voice, mildly accented with an English inflection, broke into the conversation. The owner was a member of the group with the girl Anakin had been staring at, though not the girl herself. “Sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing, we’re headed that way too.”

“Yes, we are,” he nodded. “It’s our plan for the morning, the riverside walk was one of the things people insisted on us doing. I’m Anakin, by the way. This is my mom, Shmi and this annoyed nugget is Ahsoka.”

“I’m Sabé. One second.” She whistled and the rest of her group approached. “This is Saché, Eirtaé, Yané, Rabé, and Padmé. We’re all on holiday from uni right now.”

“Just say spring break, Sabé, you don’t need to rub your British-ness in our faces.” The girl in the sunglasses, whom Anakin now knew was Padmé, removed her shades and held out her hand. “Hi. Sorry about her.”

He took her hand with a beaming smile. “No problem,” he chuckled.

“We’re on our annual family vacay,” Ahsoka quipped. “How long are you all staying?”

“Ahsoka, we have nothing to do with that,” Shmi said. “If you girls want to join us, you are more than welcome.”

“We’d  _ love  _ to,” Rabé said, betraying an accent of her own. “Anything to spare me translating for a while. I’m the only one of us who speaks Portuguese.”

“Same here with the linguistic freak,” Ahsoka nodded towards Anakin.

“River. Ahsoka. I’ll throw you into the damn river,” Anakin glared at her.

“She’s only teasing because you’re making it easy for her,” Padmé pointed out as they started walking. “I’m a little sister too, I know the deal.”

Ahsoka chuckled evilly and bit down on another pastry, skipping in front of them. 

“She’s a menace,” Anakin shook his head, falling into step with Padmé.

“I’m sure she says the same thing about you behind your back.”

“Right,” he nodded slowly. “Uni, huh? What are you studying?”

“I was a psychology major, now I’m getting a PhD in International Relations. We all roomed together our first year, and we got along so well that we kept it going through the next years and added spring break to the mix.”

“Nice. I have sort of the same relationship with my college friends. I’m taking a PhD in mechanical engineering back home,” he said. “Last week was my spring break with them, we were in Ibiza. This week is all about family.”

“That’s sweet,” she nodded. “We did that when my older sister was in college and I was still in high school.”

“You don’t do it anymore?”

“Well, our college breaks didn’t overlap when I started undergrad. And now she’s married with kids and employed full time, so the schedule is even harder to coordinate.”

Anakin nodded. “I get that. It’s complicated. Is this your first time in Portugal?”

“Yes, and despite Rabé’s best efforts, none of us have a handle on the language,” she laughed. “I thought knowing French and Spanish would be enough to bridge the gap, and I was very wrong. What about you?”

“Third time. Mom loves Portugal. Lived here for a while before she had me. That’s why I know the language well, she taught me,” he smiled.

“That’s sweet,” Padmé smiled, then turned at the sound of a camera click. Saché and Yané were both holding up their phones. “What are you two doing?”

“Just admiring the scenery,” Sabé said innocently.

Anakin shook his head, chuckling, and focused on his own professional calm. “It  _ is  _ beautiful scenery,” he admitted and with the expertise of a well-versed photographer, took a photo of her and kept walking to catch up with Ahsoka.

* * *

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more perfect beach in my life,” Padmé gushed as she sank her toes into the wet sand of the Praia da Marinha. “I can’t believe this trip’s almost over.”

“Over without another sighting of your handsome stranger, you mean?” Rabé teased, stretching out on her towel.

“How did you two seriously not exchange numbers, you hit it off,” Eirtaé agreed, squirting sunscreen into her hand. “Rabé, is this enough?”

“Yeah, that’s plenty,” the Brazilian girl nodded as the blonde started rubbing the white lotion into her back.

“If we were in a movie, we would be singing Summer Loving after all those longing looks you two exchanged in Lisbon,” Sabé smirked.

“Oh, come on, you’re exaggerating!” Padmé protested. “Anakin and I just had a nice conversation together while we were walking.”

“You wouldn’t tap that?” Yané asked, lazily sprawled on her towel after a dip into the cold ocean. “Because… he was not bad in our sight.”

“I’m not saying he wasn’t handsome, but you know me, I don’t think about that stuff immediately after I meet a guy—”

They heard someone yell “cuidado” and only Rabé flinched and moved away. A volleyball hit the sand right next to Yané’s head, who screamed with fright, and crawled into Padmé’s towel.

Rabé was going to open her mouth to scream at the man in question, when her jaw dropped. “Oh… Anakin?”

“Rabé?” He stopped a few feet away from her. He was wearing his blue swim trunks and nothing else, his toned body showing someone who clearly cared about what he put in his body and most likely hit the gym often. Eirtaé lowered her sunglasses to admire and Yané fixated on his six-pack. “I’m sorry,” he cringed, rubbing the back of his head. “Ahsoka has a mean serve.”

“A mean serve, or serendipity,” Sabé said dryly. “Hey, Pad, look who’s here.”

“Anakin!” Padmé blushed slightly, pulling down the edges of her wide-brimmed straw hat as she approached him. “Hey.”

“Hi,” he laughed, removing his sunglasses. “I guess it’s tradition to stop by Algarve before going home. It’s good to see you again. And you guys too,” he added, a small blush creeping to his sun-kissed cheeks. 

“It’s good to see you too.” Padmé eyed the volleyball. “Do you need to get back to your game?”

“Actually, do you girls play? We could make teams,” he grinned.

“Tanning time is too vital,” Eirtaé shook her head. “And Padmé’s  _ hopeless _ with sports, you’d lose with her on your team.”

“Hey!” Padmé squeaked indignantly.

Anakin chuckled, biting his lower lip. “Well, the invite stands. If you girls want to join us, we’re over there,” he nodded to where Ahsoka was warming up and Shmi read a book under a white umbrella.

“Well, actually,” Padmé said as she followed him, “maybe we could take a walk? I always try to find sea glass to bring back for my nieces, and two sets of eyes are better than one.”

“Sure! I would love that,” he agreed, eagerly. “Gimme just one sec,” he turned around. “Hey, Snips!” He shouted and Ahsoka turned. “Think fast!” He threw the ball at her and she shrieked and ducked, landing near Shmi, making sand fly all over the place, who just looked up and pinned them both with a glare. “Yeah, let’s just go, before my mom grounds us,” he took her hand and dragged her to the seashore.

“Aren’t you a little old to be grounded?” Padmé laughed as they crossed the sand. “You’re working toward a doctorate, you have to be filing taxes by this point.”

“Shmi Skywalker does not care about that,” he chuckled. “She’ll kick my ass if she feels she needs to teach me a lesson.”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I think that would kind of be hilarious to see.” She bent down and picked up a piece of pale pink glass. “Oh, this one’s perfect.”

“How old are your nieces? I didn’t think I asked last time.”

“Three and one. They have a lamp in their room that’s being filled up with these pieces,” Padmé explained.

“That’s cute. When Ahsoka was smaller, we would collect seashells. Growing up, I didn’t like the beach,” he confessed. “I hated that sand got into  _ everything  _ and  _ everywhere. _ It was annoying, rough. Ugh. I still don’t like it, to be honest.”

“Well, you’re very sweet to put up with it for your family. And for a complete stranger like me.”

“It grew on me after mom brought Ashoka home,” he shrugged, a light pink tinting his cheeks. “She was very quiet, very shy and the only time she would be happy was at the beach and mom took her there frequently just to make her come out of her shell and… as her big brother I took it upon myself the hard task of enduring the sand,” he chuckled. “Now, we comb for seashells on every beach, it’s like, our thing. We have several jars that mom made into decor, spread around the house.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“It’s the sentimental value. I’m sure your nieces will keep the lamp for many, many years and think about you every time.”

“Hopefully, I’ll get enough for two lamps, so they can each have one when they’re older.”

“Then let me help you,” he bent down and picked two different pieces of glass. One a baby blue and another a fading yellow. “Do these work?”

“They’re beautiful.” Padmé took them and dropped them into the cork purse she’d bought on the boardwalk specifically for this mission. “Good eye, I would have missed them.”

He nodded, grinning. “How was the rest of your week? Did you go everywhere you wanted?”

“Oh, yes, we did a  _ ton _ of museums and shopping– we might have to buy another suitcase at the airport, honestly.”

“I get the feeling,” he laughed as he added a cobalt blue piece to her collection. “Do you think you’ll be coming back?”

“Maybe.” She bent down to pick up a spiral seashell. “How’s this one for you?”

“That’s gorgeous. Ahsoka will love that, we haven’t seen any like this!”

Padmé beamed and passed the shell over to him as they kept walking. A gentle breeze blew in from the ocean, tugging some of her curls out of her braid. The pale yellow linen cover-up she was wearing over her bikini fluttered in the wind. 

Anakin bit his lower lip and looked over at the ocean, not wanting to be too obvious he was admiring her. “I’m really happy we met again,” he simply said.

* * *

“You’re an idiot, Skyguy.”

“I know!” He groaned loudly as they stood in line of the airport, ready to board their plane home.

“You  _ could  _ have asked the girl for her number,” Shmi agreed.

“You two had such great chemistry,” Ahsoka sighed. “It’s a shame.”

“Stop it, both of you,” he scowled. “I know I should have asked, but I didn’t want to feel like I was expecting something from her and come out as a creep.”

Ahsoka shook her head and Shmi sighed. They got to the front of the line, showed their tickets and passports and boarded the plane. 

“Are we in the same row?” Shmi asked.

“No, unfortunately not,” Anakin pursed his lips. “These were the cheapest seats available and they are spread through three different rows.”

“Ugh, I hope I’m not stuck between a crying baby and a fat guy,” Ahsoka complained.

“I am so tired, I think I’m going to sleep during the whole flight,” Anakin sighed.

“Well, it is a seven hour flight, so that’s not a terrible idea,” Shmi said as they headed down the aisle, then stopped. “Oh, my goodness, Ani, look.”

“What? Where?” He looked around before his eyes fell on none other than, “Padmé!”

The brunette looked up from the magazine she’d been reading with wide brown eyes. “Anakin? Shmi, Ahsoka, hi!”

“What a delightful coincidence,” Sabé purred from the seat on Padmé’s far side. “You’re heading to Boston too?”

“Yeah, we are,” Ahsoka checked her ticket, then shoved it into Anakin’s hands while snatching the one he was holding. “And it looks like this is Anakin’s seat. How funny is that?”

“Really?” Padmé looked at Anakin in hopeful surprise.

“Yes, yes it is,” he laughed and winked at Ahsoka. He would have to buy her something for that. “All that time talking and we never remembered asking where we were from,” he sat down. “And I think at a third chance? I am definitely asking you for your number.”

“It seems like it,” Padmé agreed, pulling out her phone with a blush and unlocking it, swiping to her contacts app. “Here, how about you fill in your info right now, before we both forget again?”

He took the phone from her and quickly inserted his number and email. “Ok, now it’s up to you **.”** She took the phone back and typed a few things, then he felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket.

**«UNKNOWN NUMBER»: Hey :)**

Anakin smiled and saved her number. “Thank you,” he placed the phone on airplane mode. “Maybe, since we’re both in Boston, you want to go to dinner one of these days?”

“Dinner could be fun,” she nodded with a smile. “Where did you have in mind?”

“There’s this restaurant near MIT that I love to go to and I know you’re vegan and they have some excellent vegan options. We could go there,” he suggested.

“Are you talking about Forage? I love that place!”

“Ugh.” Sabé groaned. “This is my karma for teasing you about not getting his number before, isn’t it? Now I have to deal with the two of you being sappy for a full seven hours?”

“Sabé, shut up,” Padmé scoffed, shoving a pair of noise-cancelling headphones at her friend with an eye roll.

“Same town, same restaurants, and you had to come all the way to  _ Portugal  _ to bump into each other,” Rabé snorted from the seat in front of them.

“Oh, my God, will you all  _ stop _ ? You’re going to scare him off!”

“It’s alright, Ahsoka is all of them combined,” he chuckled and his sister’s head popped up from the middle rows with a wicked smirk. “I am not that easily scared.”

“Good, because she’s sort of crazy,” Yané teased from behind them. Padmé rolled up her magazine and swatted at her friend with it. “See what I mean? Run while you can, Anakin.”

He just laughed. “I’m good,” he nodded with a small grin.

“You sure?” Padmé asked as she fastened her seatbelt. “They’re about to spend all seven hours of this testing you. Deciding whether or not they’ll allow you to date me.”

“Oh, it’s better than sleeping for the next seven hours and frankly, I have friends in Boston that might be just as difficult,” he chuckled, remembering Kitster, Obi-Wan, Rex and Amee. “We know they mean well, though. And… I believe you’re worth the seven hours of interrogation.”

“After everything the universe seems to have done to make sure we ran into each other again, I hope I am.”


	25. Resilience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin takes a bet, which is really just an excuse to show off.

“This is a really dumb idea,” Ahsoka said bluntly.

“It’s for charity,” Padmé argued, as she shifted her weight slightly.

“She’s as light as a feather, Ahsoka, I’m good,” Anakin said as he held his position on the ground. “Assuming she stops moving her ass on my back.”

“You weren’t complaining when I did it last night,” his girlfriend shot back with a smirk.

“Last night, my groin was  _ somewhere  _ else and if you keep doing that, I might be off duty for a while,” he rolled his eyes.

“You’re going to pull a muscle, dude,” Kitster grimaced as he recorded what was happening in front of him.

“He’s planking with a full-grown woman on his back, I’ll be shocked if she doesn’t break him in half!”

“Nah, it’s Padmé, she’s small enough that I doubt he feels it,” Sabé drawled. “He’s got the resilience factor down.”

“How long so far?” Anakin asked Ahsoka.

“So far, six minutes,” she replied, impressed. “I can’t even do thirty seconds of a simple plank, so I’m impressed.”

Anakin took a deep breath, a thin layer of sweat forming near his hairline.

“How much time did you bet on?” Sabé asked with a smirk.

“I said he could last at least ten minutes,” Padmé said. “And if he doesn’t, then  _ I  _ have to do a challenge.”

“Just four minutes to go, Skyguy,” Ahsoka said. “Want some water?” He nodded and she skipped to the kitchen to grab a bottle and a straw.

“What challenge?” Kitster asked.

“You won’t see, because Anakin’s going to win,” Padmé predicted smugly. “Right, babe?”

“Don’t push me, Angel, I will let you fall with your backside on the floor,” he grunted as Ahsoka put the straw to his mouth.

“Okay, okay,” she huffed. “I’m just trying to support you.”

“Three minutes,” Sabé called. “Two fifty-nine, two fifty-eight…”

“Sabé!” Padmé shushed her.

Anakin groaned, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. 

“He does have nice arms,” Sabé commented, poking one of Anakin’s biceps. “Strong.”

“Stop antagonizing him,” Kitster snorted and Anakin just shook his head. 

“Paws off  _ my _ guy, Sabé, or I’ll sabotage  _ all _ your future dates,” Padmé warned. Sabé responded by balling up the takeout bag sitting on the counter and flinging it straight at Anakin’s head.

“Sabé!” He growled. “Knock it off. Snips, water!”

“Quit,” Sabé taunted as Ahsoka moved the cup over for another sip.

“One more minute, Anakin, and you’re clear,” Kitster said, bumping his hip against Sabé. “Don’t listen to the hater.”

“You can do it, baby, I love you so much,” Padmé encouraged.

He snorted. “You better.”

“Alright, alright,” Kitster interrupted, “ten, nine, eight…”

“Seven, six, five,” Ahsoka continued.

“Damn,” Sabé muttered.

“Three, two…”

“One!” Ahsoka and Kitster yelled at the same time. 

“Woo-hoo! Go, Skyguy,” Ahsoka grinned. Padmé unfolded her legs and got to her feet, pulling Anakin up with her for a long kiss.

He just laughed, groaning as he laid on his back on the ground. She laid down beside him and kissed his cheek.

“So what was your challenge going to be?” Ahsoka pressed Padmé. 

“Standing en pointe for as long as Anakin did the plank.”

“ _ That’s  _ how much I love you,” he sighed, letting his muscles rest. He was going to feel the effort later on.

“Sabé, go get my pointes. I’m doing it anyway.”

“Seriously?!”

“Hey, I have to show my boyfriend how much I love him too, it’s only fair.”

“Babe, you’re okay. I know it. I want you to  _ walk  _ and love me,” he said, concerned.

“If I wear the shoes, I’ll be fine, Ani, really.”

“Ugh, seriously, you two are gross,” Ahsoka groaned. “My boyfriend this, my girlfriend that, you’re so annoying.”

“Oh, so you’d prefer it if he weren’t my boyfriend anymore?”

“You know if I said yes to that question, he would murder me.”

“Ahsoka, don’t make me ban you from this house,” Anakin huffed. “And, babe, really, I love you, I don’t need you to do this. I know you are resilient.”

“Nah, I was just thinking that maybe we should listen to her and stop being boyfriend and girlfriend,” Padmé deadpanned.

“You are not tricking me into proposing,” he raised his eyebrows.

“Worth a try,” she shrugged.

“Are we done with the bets?” Kitster sighed.

“Unless you want to bet on how long it’ll be before these two give us diabetes,” Sabé said dryly.

“You are all just jealous,” Anakin stated, as he stood up, wincing. “I’m having an ice bath.”

“Want company, babe?” Padmé asked.

He smirked. “Yes. Let’s give them a cold case of diabetes type two.”

“Right behind you.”


	26. On the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A road trip takes a strange turn for Padmé and Anakin.

“Is the car supposed to be making that noise?” Padmé asked nervously.

“No,” Anakin frowned as he checked the lights in the dashboard. “We might have a problem,” he grimaced. “I think the car is giving up on us.”

“Do you think we can get to a town? We’re in the middle of nowhere right now,” she groaned.

Anakin sighed. “Can you check on your map which town is nearer? Before we have to walk and mysteriously disappear as we are eaten by coyotes.”

“Um,” she pulled up her phone and her groan deepened. “Ugh, Mos Eisley.”

“Fantastic,” he drawled. “I hate that town. It's so shady.”

“Yeah, but we don’t really have much choice, do we? The only other option is sleeping in the car, and we’ve already been on the road for hours. A tow truck would probably just take us there anyway.”

“Fine,” he dropped his shoulders. “Let’s see if we can find a shop and a hotel to spend the night.”

“I’m going to call Obi-Wan and Satine to let them know why we’ll be a day late.”

“Yeah, do that,” he said as he took the turn that led to Mos Eisley. She dialed and switched the call to speakerphone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Satine, it’s Padmé. We’re having engine trouble with our rental, so we’re not going to make it in tonight.”

“Do you guys need anything from us?” Satine asked, worriedly. “Can the car be fixed?”

“I don’t know,” Anakin answered. “I need to check the engine.”

“Do not do anything the rental company could bill you for,” Obi-Wan interjected. “Where are the two of you, we’ll come to get you—”

“The nearest town is Mos Eisley,” Padmé cut him off.

“We can get you in the morning,” Satine said. “Maybe after you see what’s wrong with the car.”

“Okay, we’ll see you then. Hopefully, there’ll be a hotel with a room for us,” Padmé sighed. “See you tomorrow.” She hung up and opened her browser.

“Now we just need to find somewhere to stay.”

“I’m working on that now. This is listed as a cantina, but I think it might also be a bed and breakfast.”

Anakin sighed. “Well, let’s hope they at least have bedrooms available.”

“Or a bedroom with two beds,” she agreed, typing in the listed phone number. “But right now, you concentrate on making this thing get us there.”

“I’m doing my best,” he grimaced as he hoped the engine didn’t die on them before they reached the town. 

“When they get here tomorrow, I’m going to  _ kill _ Obi-Wan and Satine for suggesting that driving would be cheaper,” Padmé muttered, staring out the window at the desert around them.

_ Take the chance to spend some quality time with her,  _ Satine had told him with a smirk. Anakin pursed his lips. “They’re idiots. That’s what they are. I’m sure your boyfriend hated the idea,” he drawled.

“What?” she blinked at him in surprise. “I’m not dating anyone, who are you talking about?”

“Wait, did you break up with Ian?” He blinked in surprise in return.

“I was never dating Ian, we were just doing meetings to prep for a cross-department presentation!” Her cheeks turned pink. “Who told you we were dating?”

“Sabé,” he muttered, frowning.

“Well, Sabé lied to you. I haven’t dated anyone since Rush.”

“Oh, okay,” Anakin said dully. 

“Next exit, take a right,” Padmé said, attempting to change the subject.

He nodded and followed her instructions. “I’m not dating anyone either. I guess it’s the singles table for us.”

“I know you’re not dating anyone, because I figured if you were, you would have told me.”

“Confident, are we? Maybe I wanted to keep it low key.”

“You’re not that slick, Skywalker.”

Anakin just laughed. “Let’s just get to the hotel in one piece.”

“Okay, okay, we’re nearly there.” Padmé switched on the voice feature of her phone’s GPS and a panicked British voice filled the car, rattling off directions. Then she went back to typing on her phone, presumably drafting an email to the rental company.

As he focused on getting to the hotel, when he parked the car, the whole thing just gave up and there was a small, warning noise from the engine. Anakin groaned and checked the time. “We will only have a mechanic tomorrow.”

“Then we might as well get our bags out of the car and go see about getting our rooms,” Padmé sighed.

“You go ahead and check-in, I’ll take the bags from the trunk.”

“Okay, yeah, see you inside.”

As he grabbed the two suitcases from the car, he locked it and brought them into the building. It wasn’t a four star hotel, not even a three star one, but at least they weren’t spending the night, freezing in the car. “So?” He prompted.

“How come your wife wants two rooms?” the grumpy looking old woman from behind the desk asked as she squinted at him. Anakin gaped at the woman.  _ Wife? _ “You got a handsome young fellow here, missy, whatever he did to make you mad can’t have been all that bad!”

“As I’ve already told you, we’re not married, we’re friends,” Padmé huffed as she glared at the woman. “And you said you don’t have any rooms available with two beds.”

“Then what rooms do you have available? And yes, we’re best friends, not a couple,” Anakin confirmed. The old woman glanced between the two and her fading eyebrows rose.

“One room’s reserved, but the client hasn’t checked in yet. Other one’s our honeymoon suite.”

“Okay, so if your other client’s overdue, cancel their reservation and give us both!” insisted Padmé. “Why is that so hard?”

“That’s not how we do things here, missy, and I’d watch my attitude if I were you, or you’ll get no rooms.”

“Padmé, don’t get like that, we can’t just take someone else’s room,” Anakin sighed. “But, the honeymoon suite? That’s all you have?”

“And it comes with a great bathtub. For couples who like to get feisty on their first night,” she winked at him and his shoulders dropped.

“Yeah, whatever, we’ll take it,” he said. “Obi-Wan is going to foot the bill,” he grumbled to Padmé.

“Fine.” She sighed, opening her wallet and pulling out a stack of bills. “How much is it, and is there any way we can get dinner too?”

“No,” he pushed her money again and placed a black card on top of the counter. “I’m paying and sending the amount to Obi-Wan. It’s his fault we’re here.”

The lady shrugged and accepted the card. “I’ll have our traditional honeymoon meal brought up to you too,” she smirked as she passed over a key, and Anakin rolled his eyes. He didn’t even want to know.

“Come on, P., see if we can get some rest,” he grabbed the suitcases and headed to the elevator. She followed him, stuffing the bills back in her wallet.

“If they run up a bunch of ridiculous charges on that card, don’t blame me,” she warned him as she stepped into the elevator.

“I don’t care, I am getting refunded,” he said, sourly and grabbed his phone as the elevator went up to their floor, to text a quick message to Obi-Wan.

**_«You’re paying for the damned honeymoon suite we had to book and for whatever extra charges we have. It was your damn fault. We should have gone by train!»_ **

**_«We will talk about this in the morning.»_ **

**_«You’re refunding me!»_ **

“Leave it, Anakin,” Padmé sighed, looking over his shoulder to see the text. “I’m just tired and hungry from being on the road. I think we both are.”

“Don’t peek into my phone,” he pouted as he hid the screen from her. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. He grabbed the suitcases again. “Do you have the key?”

“Yeah, and I’m very concerned we’re in the beginning of a horror movie,” she said as she held up the piece of rusted metal. “Look at this thing. Who the hell wants to honeymoon here anyway?”

“I guess we’re sleeping with one eye open tonight.”

“No kidding,” she groaned as they reached the honeymoon suite and she shoved the key in the lock. “Okay, let’s see how tacky this room is. Do you think  _ everything _ is gonna be heart-shaped?”

The room  _ was  _ tacky. The bed was huge and oval with a huge mirror on the ceiling. There were pink lights and heart-shaped neon signs and everything was in a cream color, mixed with red and outrageous pinks. “I’m going to need therapy after this,” Anakin leaned against the doorway, defeated.

“I suppose if a couple can last even a night in here, then their marriage will be steady as a rock,” Padmé said dryly as she took her suitcase. “I’m going to use the bathroom and get ready for bed, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll set up my bed on the couch,” he agreed, closing the door and locking the room.

“I can take the couch, I’m smaller than you,” she protested.

“No, there’s no discussion. I’ll be fine. It’s just a couple of hours anyway,” he waved her off. “Now go on, I want to use the bathroom after.”

“Anakin…” she sighed, shaking her head and giving up before she could start the argument. “Never mind, I’ll be out in a bit.” She slipped into the bathroom and groaned at the sight of the tub, nestled in garish pink tile. “She was not kidding.”

“Tacky heart-shaped tub?” He guessed from the other side as he had heard her groan.

“And it’s  _ red _ ,” she gagged as she stripped off her clothes and retrieved her pajamas from her bag. “The entire budget of this hotel must have gone into this monstrosity of a tub.”

Anakin chuckled as he got a blanket, a sheet and a pillow and prepared the bed on the old couch. He grimaced. He would never take his bed for granted again. 

Padmé emerged in an oversized Harvard t-shirt and a pair of shorts. “All yours,” she said. “I was about to brush my teeth when I remembered the ‘honeymoon meal’ we’re apparently getting.”

“Ok, I’m going in and changing and when our dinner arrives, lock the door after they leave,” he said as he grabbed his suitcase and entered the bathroom, snorting at the bathtub. He took a picture, he would share it with the guys over Whatsapp later. 

When he came out of the room, Padmé was staring at a tray of steak, strawberries in whipped cream, and a cheap looking bottle of champagne. “I don’t know whether I want to save this for Obi-Wan and Satine or just drink it all by myself,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“No vegan option?” He said as he stepped out in a pair of loose, black pants and a tight white shirt. “That thing must taste so… tasteless.”

“I’m getting all the strawberries,” she said bluntly, picking up the bowl and popping a few in her mouth. “You can have the meat and the whipped cream.”

“I just hope I don’t get food poisoning,” he made a face as he grabbed the plate and cutlery and sat at the small table there.

“If you do, just add it to Obi-Wan’s bill, this is all his fault.” She grabbed a remote and turned on the TV across from the bed. “They only get three channels. Lovely.”

“I guess they’ll be too busy running away from here that three channels are enough,” Anakin chuckled.

“I guess so,” she groaned as she continued to inhale strawberries, one eye on the couch. “Okay, seriously, that thing cannot be comfortable, are you really planning on sleeping there?”

“I don’t know about sleep. But at least get some rest. It’s fine, really, we’re both more comfortable that way,” he added.

“I mean, it’s a big bed,” she said slowly. “We  _ could _ share. We can be mature about this, we’re adults, not teenage idiots, right?”

“Right,” he agreed, just as slowly. “But still. This is better.”

“How? How is it better?”

“Comfortable,” he frowned. Anakin didn’t want to wake up with certain places pressed against her. “I move. A lot. It’s a nightmare.”

“Oh, it can’t be that bad,” she scoffed. “Come on, you know I’m right. I usually am.”

“You might love it so much you won't do another thing,” he quipped without a second thought.

“I’ll take my chances.”

Anakin just stared at her. “Why does it bother you so much that I sleep on the couch? It’s really not for a long time, just enough to get some rest.”

“It bothers me because you always do this kind of thing. Insisting on giving me whatever is the best option. Like you think I’m overly delicate or something.”

“Because I like you and I want you to be okay. I don’t know how your ex-boyfriends treated you, but as the man that I am, my mother taught me to treat women with respect and so, I want you to feel that way too,” he said, becoming flustered and agitated.  _ So many words to tell you I love you. _

She looked at him for a very long while, her features softening as she sat back against the pillows. “Ani, get in the bed. Please. Or else I’m gonna come over to the couch.”

He scowled and moved slowly to the bed. “Don’t get handsy on me, Naberrie,” he said as he slid in the sheets on her other side.

“You mean like this?” She pressed her soft, strawberry-stained lips against his.

Anakin was frozen for a moment. He was not expecting the boldness of her move and pulled back. “Okay, what’s gotten into you? Were those strawberries good to eat?” He questioned, shaking his head.

She drew away from him, her face scarlet. “I...I misread the signals. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

He opened and closed his mouth, several times. He was afraid he looked like a brainless goldfish. “You… I… I mean… you don’t have to apologize because I’ve always wanted to kiss you, but I never wanted to ruin our friendship.”

“And I thought you only wanted to be friends, so I never brought it up. God, how dense was I?”

“Very. My longing stares were not very discreet. All of our friends know how I feel and didn’t you ever notice that I hated all your boyfriends and pulled away whenever you were in a relationship? I couldn’t handle the truth of you being with someone else,” he shrugged.

“I kept trying to date guys who weren’t like you so that I could get over you. I just figured that meant you didn’t like them because you had nothing in common with them. Also, they were kind of jerks, because I’m seeing now that I know nothing about romance.” She groaned and buried her face in one of the heart-shaped pillows. “This is a disaster, isn’t it?”

He plucked the pillow from her hands and threw it carelessly over his shoulder before he was covering her lips with his and pushing her down on the mattress, kissing as if there was no tomorrow. There would be no more misread signs, or mistaken thoughts. He would show her exactly how he felt.

He was still going to make Obi-Wan pay him back for the room. But he could no longer say that this road trip had been a terrible idea.


	27. Half-Written

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Anakin is MIA and presumed dead, Padmé finds an unfinished letter.

“ _Angel,_

_I wish I could say these words to you personally, but I know you are still upset with me and I understand why you don’t want to see me. My actions were appalling. I am sorry I scared you. Caused you discomfort. But I was walking into a room where a man was forcing himself on my wife and I lost control of my emotions. I barely have the hang of them nowadays. War hasn’t been easy, I’ve lost so many and the most difficult thing is being away from you._

_I wanted to be more secure and yes, I trust you. But marrying you has always been like a dream and some nights I wake up, thinking it_ **_was_ ** _a dream. How could someone so pure, so full of light could be in love with a creature like me? I’ve done so many wrongs in my life and I can’t provide you with a relationship you deserve, in the light, stable and someone to come home to each night, that sometimes I find myself losing hope._

_I’m sorry I am not the man you deserve._

_I’m sorry I am not the man you think I am, or could be._

_I’m sorry…_ ”

And then, there was a piece of flimsi missing and his letter was left incomplete. Padmé brought a hand to her mouth to suppress a sob as she stared down at the half-written confession. “Oh, Ani…”

Each word seemed to cut through her like a blaster bolt. Had he thought she wanted to leave him for good? End their marriage altogether? 

She’d been upset with him for how he’d handled Clovis, for a number of reasons, but the idea of leaving him altogether had never entered her mind. She’d thought the space would help them calm down and cool their heads, let them talk more reasonably. Now…

Now she might have lost him forever, after leaving things so terribly between them. 

Anakin had left on an assignment, at the Council’s request, with a handful of troops. Obi-Wan had stayed behind, and given that Ahsoka was no longer in their lives, her husband had been totally alone. The news arrived quickly from the Inner Rim. The Hero With No Fear, the Chosen One, _her husband_ , was missing and after four standard weeks, presumed dead. The ship had crashed in Jakku, a desert planet, and most of the troops were found dead, except for Anakin and Rex. The hunt for their bodies had been abandoned as a waste of resources, and Padmé couldn’t make an argument that didn’t expose her marriage. 

But why was she even hiding it anymore? Her fingers traced the carved edges of the japor snippet as she sobbed. 

“My lady?” Sabé appeared on the door, her face showed the extreme worry she had for her mistress. “My lady, someone is here to see you.”

“Not now, Sabé, please.”

Her aide sighed and she reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s Anakin’s former padawan. Ahsoka. I think you should see her,” Sabé insisted.

“Fine,” she sighed. 

Sabé stepped away and nodded at Ahsoka, who had waited behind her. As she stepped into the room, she lowered her cloak to show her face. In the amount of time she had left the Jedi, she had matured, her features becoming more sharp, defined. 

“Ahsoka…” Padmé stood, rushing to pull the young woman into her arms. “I’m so glad to see you, it’s been too long.”

“I found him,” she croaked out, as the door closed and she felt Padmé’s arms around her. “I got him back, Senator,” she nodded, her eyes swimming with tears as she returned the hug tightly. “I didn’t give up on him like _they_ did.”

“You what?”

“Me and a few friends of mine, we kept searching for Anakin,” she swallowed, pulling away. “He hasn’t been my Master for a while but sometimes I can feel that bond still there. Because I still care for him. I know if it was me that disappeared, he wouldn’t have given up until he found me, dead or alive, so I turned that sand hell inside out and I found him,” she gave the tiniest of smiles. “We got Rex to Kamino, he wasn’t doing well and I left Anakin at the Temple. He was dehydrated, with a fever and he was delusional. But he’s alive and the healers will take care of him,” she explained. “But all he called for… until he passed out… was you.”

“Well,” Padmé pursed her lips together. This was Ahsoka. Surely she could trust her. “That’s not surprising, seeing as I _am_ his wife.”

“I kind of figured that out,” Ahsoka shook her head. “You guys didn’t think I was that dumb not to see it, right?” She chuckled, and Padmé turned red.

“We did try to hide it.”

“I know. I never said anything because you made him happy. He needed you,” Ahsoka said. “I just wanted to tell you myself that you are not a widow.”

“Can… can you take me to him?” Padmé slipped the japor snippet back around her neck while the flimsi crumpled in her clenched hand. “I need to see him, Ahsoka, please. ”

“I think I can sneak you in, yes, but I don’t think he’s going to be conscious. He might be heavily sedated.”

“I don’t care, we’ve been apart for weeks, and the last time I saw him…”

Ahsoka frowned, but didn’t ask. “You should get your cloak, so you are not recognized.”

“Kriff that. I don’t care anymore,” Padmé shook her head. “If he’s been saying my name, then the secret’s already out, isn’t it?”

“No, because Obi-Wan made sure he was unconscious before the Council arrived,” Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “You didn’t fool him either.”

 _He did tell you to stay away from Anakin…_ “Alright, fine, I’ll get my cloak, but hurry.”

Soon, they were boarding Ahsoka’s speeder and off in the direction of the Temple. Ahsoka led her through an entryway she often used when she sneaked out. It led directly to the infirmary, that was almost deserted at that time.

“It’s a huge risk, Ahsoka,” a tired voice said with a sigh, from one of the doors.

“It was my call, not hers, Obi-Wan,” Padmé said from beneath the hood of her cloak. “I need to see him.”

Obi-Wan rubbed a hand over his tired face. He had aged what looked like years ever since his Padawan’s disappearance. “Of course,” he relented, stepping away from the door. “We will keep watch. You will need to leave before dawn. The Council will come to check on his progress.”

Padmé brushed past him before he could finish, heading straight for Anakin’s bed. She gripped his nearest hand, the flesh one, tightly in both of hers. “Ani? Ani, I’m here.”

There was just a slight twitch in his fingers. His skin was tanned, too tanned from what had been weeks wandering the desert. His lips dry and his hair longer. There were some red spots from overexposure to the sun, but the bacta IV that he had was meant for a gradual improvement, so his body could recover at his pace.

He’d never looked more beautiful to her, and she leaned forward, dropping a gentle kiss on his forehead, and a second one on his lips. And then she sat by his side, waiting patiently for him to open his eyes.

His muscles tensed and his lips turned down in a frown and he turned his face towards hers, as if he was sensing she was there. “Hi, love,” she whispered softly. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked, to clear her image, letting out a barely audible ‘hi’, his fingers squeezing hers back, not with a lot of strength, but enough to let her know he was listening to her.

“I found your letter,” she confessed. “And it’s wrong, Ani. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you. You’re so kind and strong, and you keep fighting in such terrible odds, you always keep trying to be better and to do the right thing, even when you make mistakes, that’s one of the reasons I love you so much.”

“You might want to tell me that again, when I’m not high on sedation,” he said, his voice low and tired. “I’m just happy you’re here. I thought I would never see you again.”

“I’ll tell you every day for the rest of our lives,” she promised. “Every day, Ani.”

“I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you,” Anakin whispered. “I don’t blame you if you want to separate. You would be better off without me. That letter was to give you my written consent if you had wanted to make it official.”

“I know you didn’t. But you’re wrong. I wouldn’t be better off without you, how can anyone be better off without half of their soul?”

“You mean that?”

“Of course, I mean it.” She leaned in to kiss him again. “You might not be perfect, Anakin Skywalker, but you’re mine, and I wouldn’t give you up for anything.”

A sweet smile appeared on his lips. “How long can you stay here?”

“Obi-Wan says I have to leave before dawn,” she sighed. “Oh, and he and Ahsoka both know.”

“I will play the sick card as long as I have to get out of that conversation,” he drawled. “Join me,” he moved in bed. “Before you have to leave.”

“Well, I can’t really refuse,” she laughed as she carefully climbed in beside him and wrapped her arms around his stomach.

“I love you,” he sighed, happily.

“I love you too.”


	28. Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a blackout, Anakin and Padmé meet on the rooftop.

Padmé swore in a very unladylike fashion as every light in her apartment and her desktop computer went out simultaneously. “Unbelievable!”  _ And I’d just been about to hit save, no fair! _

Whatever had caused the blackout, she couldn’t do anything about it for the time being, so rather than stew in the dark, she grabbed her phone and moved over to her window. Climbing out onto the fire escape, she headed up to the rooftop, taking in a deep breath of cool night air as she went.

Already there was her downstairs neighbor. He was sitting on a lounge chair, a huge blue blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and a thermos at his feet and she could smell coffee. He turned to her, blue eyes surprised.

“Oh, hey. I didn’t know somebody else enjoyed this rooftop either.”

“Anakin, right?” she asked as she moved to one of the empty chairs. “The engineer? You live in 2-C?”

“Yep. Padmé, the lawyer? 3-D?” He guessed with a smile.

“Uh-huh.” She gazed up at the stars. “Nice setup you got here.”

“I was already here when everything went black,” he shrugged. “I usually come here to meditate or brainstorm with myself. The stars are… sort of my passion.”

“Yeah?” she laid back to stare upwards, just as a shooting star streaked across the sky and its light seemed to sparkle in her dark brown eyes. “Which ones are your favorites? Can you show me?”

“Yeah,” he nodded slowly, a warm blush spreading on his cheeks. “Up there, more to the left, you have the Aquarius constellation. It looks like a bearer and, without the lights, you look higher, and to the right of the Aquarius constellation, Scorpio,” he beamed with his explanation. “Those are my two favorite ones.”

“Any reason why?” she asked. “I never really paid  _ much  _ attention to astrology, but I know those two are zodiac signs.”

“Well… I’m an Aquarius,” he confessed. “Aren’t you a Scorpio?”

“How’d you know?” she looked at him in surprise.

“I pay attention. You usually don’t really notice me in the elevator and there’s a time of the day when your sister always calls you to read your horoscope. You get an annoyed look and mutter under your breath, before something you pretend to lose the signal and hang up,” he shrugged, hiding further into his blanket.

“You little  _ stalker _ ,” she laughed.

“That’s a strong word. We live in the same building and your phone has its volume way too high and everyone can hear it,” he rolled his eyes, blushing.

“I’m sorry. I was trying to tease you. And I’m sorry that my phone’s so loud.”

He nodded. “You come up here a lot or just when a blackout hits?”

“Well, sometimes I visit the garden.” She pointed over at the patch of boxes that had flower bushes growing out of them. “But normally I get home, I eat, watch an episode of  _ Love It or List It, _ then go to bed, assuming I don’t have a heavy caseload.”

“Hm, not a lot going on socially, have we?”

“The last party I went to was my niece’s second birthday party. She threw cake in my face.”

Anakin laughed so loud, it echoed. “Alright, have you thought about doing something else besides work?”

“I’ve been considering getting a cat.”

“What if you have dinner with me Saturday night instead?”

“Are you asking me out?” she asked, sitting up to look at him with her head tilted to one side.

Anakin smirked. “I’m no  _ Love It or List It _ episode, but I make a mean pasta dish.”

“What if you bring the pasta to my apartment, and I show you the wonders of home design shows?”

“At 8 o’clock?”

“Okay, it’s a date.”

“It’s a date,” he grinned, proudly and looked up at the starlight. That last shooting star was a miracle worker. He did work up the courage to ask her out.


	29. Thunderstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm both outside and within Anakin. Padmé needs to face both.  
> Warning: heavy, heavy angst and irony.

A crash of thunder seemed to shake the foundations of the villa as Padmé jolted awake. The wind was howling, whipping the curtains at the open window, and the spot next to her in bed was surprisingly empty. “Ani?” she called nervously.

There was no response and the thunderstorm kept raging outside. The spot next to her was still warm, which meant he hadn’t been gone for long. Grabbing her robe from the floor, she left the bedroom and began to wander the halls of Varykino. “Anakin?” she called again.

The doors that led to the veranda, where she had once found him meditating during the time he was protecting her before they were married, were open and the curtains were flying all around, the floor wet from the rain that was brought inside with the wind. “Ani, are you out there?” she called, practically shouting over the roar of the storm.

“Go back to bed,” he shouted, distressed and yes, he was indeed in the veranda, as if even as a Jedi, he could brave a storm of that magnitude. He would surely get knocked out by the wind, or get sick from the rain.

“Come inside!” she shouted back. “You’ll catch your death!”

“No!” He roared. “Just leave me alone.” She ignored him, marching straight up to him despite the winds and rain attempting to push her back into the house and grabbed his arm, making an effort to pull him inside. “You can’t… just… please, leave me here. Go back inside. I need to get this image out of my head,” he groaned, pressing his palms against his temples. He was already soaking.

“Come inside,” she repeated. “And we’ll talk about whatever’s bothering you. I’m your wife, let me help.”

“You don’t understand,” he took a few steps back, until his back collided with the column. “I dreamt that I would turn to the dark side. That I would betray everything and everyone,” he said, in pain. “I dreamt that I would kill you, in the middle of ashes and lava and… oh, Force, it was horrible,” he clutched his head again. “I killed you,” he whispered, brokenly.

“You’re doing this,” she realized slowly. “The storm. You’re causing it?”

He gritted his teeth. “I’m not talking about the storm,” he hissed and the winds hissed alongside him, nearly tearing the plants from their roots. “I’m flawed. I’m meant to Fall. I’m meant for chaos. I shouldn’t exist. I should die before I kill everyone I love.”

“Anakin Skywalker, come inside this minute,” Padmé spoke firmly and quietly, and he shouldn’t have been able to hear her, but her meaning was clear, “so we can talk about this reasonably. You had a nightmare. You’re lashing out. But death isn’t the answer.”

Anakin sobbed, sliding down until he was sitting and as he cried, the winds died down. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered, turning his tortured blue eyes to her. “I’ve seen my dreams come true, more than once. I lost my mother,” he shook his head, crying. “I can’t have this happen to you. I love you. You’re everything to me. I can’t bear this.”

“So why do you think I could handle  _ you _ dying?” she asked, bending down and wrapping her arms around him. “Do you think you’re not everything to me too?”

“It’s not the same, I’m a danger to you,” he whispered as he placed his head on her chest and listened to her heartbeat.

“Then we’ll fight it,” she promised tenderly, “I won’t go to any planets where there are ashes and lava.”

He gave a weak laugh. “I think it was Mustafar,” he said. “I can’t turn,” Anakin repeated. “I can’t. I can’t put you in danger. Promise me you’ll stop me. With any means necessary?” The rain was getting weaker and the winds slower and she realized his breathing was easing as it was accompanying her heartbeat.

“I swear,” she answered solemnly, kissing his hair.

Anakin breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” he mumbled and the storm subsided. Padmé stayed holding him for a while longer. “I love you. No matter what. I love you.”

“And that’s why I know this dream of yours will never come to pass.”

“I hope you’re right.”


	30. You Had To Be There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka presses Anakin and Padmé on their inside jokes.

“So, I understand Skyguy, but where did  _ Snips _ come from?” Padmé asked, and Ahsoka laughed.

“Well, you know Anakin has such a winning personality, I had to give back a little of what I got, and he called me  _ snippy, _ which turned into Snips.” Her russet face wrinkled slightly. “I guess you had to be there, it’s not as funny telling it secondhand.”

“I suppose so.” Padmé paused for a minute, then looked at the Padawan with a sly smile. “Can I get a nickname? Or is it only for Jedi?”

“Don’t you have one already?” Ahsoka quipped. “Angel, was it?” She smirked.

Padmé blushed and tried to cover it up with a laugh. “Oh, that’s just what Anakin called me when we were kids, like how I call him Ani. Hardly anything interesting there.”

Ahsoka grinned. “Oh? What about Love? Was that from when you were kids too?”

“He doesn’t call me love!”

“You do know I’m on the bunker bed above his and sometimes I’m not asleep, right?” the Padawan raised her eyebrows, as her blue eyes twinkled. “It’s alright, secret’s safe with me. Might be a codeword for I-am-irrevocably-in-love-with-you-but-the-Code-sucks-and-I-can’t-be-with-you,” she shrugged. 

“And  _ brat _ might be a codeword for a Padawan with an overactive imagination,” Padmé retorted dryly. “I’m offended that you think Anakin and I would be that irresponsible.”

Ahsoka laughed as she finished her lunch. “Oh no, I’m too afraid to offend a Senator,” she grinned from ear to ear. Padmé huffed and shook her head.

“I cannot believe they let Anakin teach.”

* * *

“So, how’d you land on Angel for the Senator’s nickname?” Ahsoka asked Anakin from her co-pilot’s seat. “Because she insists it’s  _ not _ because you’re in love with her.”

Anakin gave a sideways glance to his Padawan and internally groaned. “When we met, I was a slave boy on Tatooine and I was  _ nine. _ Nine, okay? I asked her if she was an Angel and then it stuck,” he shrugged. “Sort of our own little private joke. You had to be there to understand, Snips.”

“Why’d you ask if she was an angel?” Ahsoka pressed, unwilling to give up so easily. “Come on, I want to know more about baby Skyguy!”

"Force, you are impossible. I thought that because she was really beautiful and I didn't see a lot of beautiful women in Tatooine, you know? I would hear the pilots talk about the Angels of Iego and…" he blushed, "I made the association."

“Aw, that’s so cute, you saw her and you thought she was beautiful, so you started sweet-talking her! You little player!”

"I was always charming," he quipped with a smile. 

“So how come you never use that charm when we’re fighting a battle now? Why does Obi-Wan always do the negotiating? Or Senator Amidala, when she’s working with us?”

"Because while I'm charming, I prefer aggressive negotiations to debate and politics like them," he snorted. "I'm better with my lightsaber and natural charisma."

“Or you like having an excuse to have the Senator around?”

"I have Obi-Wan to do the negotiations, why would you say that?" He shifted uncomfortably. "Besides the fact that Senator Amidala is a great ally of the council."

“No reason,” the Togruta smirked. “I’m gonna go check on Artooie. In case you wanted some alone time.”

"Why did I accept you as my Padawan?" He asked rhetorically, watching her go. 

“Because I’m charming and reckless and you liked me too much to let someone else teach me,” she called over her shoulder. “Plus, anyone else would have ratted you and the Senator out by now.”

Anakin gaped at her back and stuttered, unable to come out with a response. 

When Rex asked Ahsoka why she looked so proud of herself, she just replied, “you had to be there.”


	31. Make Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A public exchange gets a little heated...

Padmé sighed, shifting in her chair as she watched Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka down in the Jedi’s pod, addressing the entire Senate. Anakin looked miserable, but it was also unbearably cute to her, watching him pout and sulk and try to hide that pouting and sulking.

“With all due respect, Senator, I don’t believe that is the proper way to handle the situation at hand,” Anakin scowled. The last thing he had wanted was to be there, pleading the Jedi’s case, but Obi-Wan had insisted that he be the one to do it, due to his knowledge of the situation. “The betrayal of the commercial trade needs to be handled with a bit more… aggressive persuasion. These people don’t listen to reason. We need actions. Not words.”

“You grew dangerously close to a war crime!” Lott Dod declared angrily, “and attempt to punish the Trade Federation for the actions of radicals like Nute Gunray—”

Padmé pressed the signal button in the pod and Palpatine cleared his throat, cutting off the feed of the Trade Federation’s pod. “The chair recognizes the Senator from Naboo.”

“General Skywalker,” Padmé said calmly. “You do remember that this was meant to be a diplomatic mission, don’t you?”

“I do. However, that’s not the reality of the situation,” he declared.

“Not the reality of the situation?” she echoed.

Anakin raised his eyebrows, annoyed. He didn’t like arguing with politicians. Much less with his wife. Who could argue him to death. “No. All the negotiation attempts have failed and so far, there is only one other way of action. A more aggressive one.”

“Can General Kenobi and Commander Tano confirm this?”

“I am in charge of this mission, Senator,” he retorted as Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak. “This was my assessment. Do you not trust my judgment?”

“I am asking for corroboration, as a means of proving that there is no need for the  _ esteemed _ representative from the Trade Federation to continue down these accusations of a war crime.”

“The representative from the Trade Federation should know what sort of people he has,” Anakin declared flatly.

“Senator, it is true that so far, all of our attempts at reasoning have not been successful,” Obi-Wan chimed in.

“And you pursued  _ every _ other possible measure?”

“If Senator Dod is willing to be a mediator, I’m sure we can reach a settlement,” Obi-Wan sighed and Anakin glared at him.

“I disagree,” he said, irritated. “Because if our  _ esteemed  _ Senator had wanted to mediate this negotiation, the Jedi would have not been necessary.”

“Just because the Jedi’s presence was deemed necessary does not automatically convert the engagement to a military affair,” Padmé argued.

“We are in a war. We are generals and commanders. We are the military,” Anakin retorted and Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. His former Padawan was too brazen for his taste. Chancellor Palpatine, however, looked far too amused. “If this was not supposed to be a military affair, Senator, we wouldn’t be here, now, would we?”

“You were there in the Jedi’s capacity as peacekeepers.”

Anakin huffed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Obi-Wan stepped forward. “The Council will speak with Senator Dod then.” His former Padawan turned on his heel and exited the pod, seething, Ahsoka on his heel. Padmé waited a few moments before excusing herself from her own pod and heading to meet them before they left the Senate building.

“Hmm, Senator Amidala is coming our way,” Ahsoka warned, amused, halting. Obi-Wan stopped as well and had to grab Anakin’s robe to make him stumble back and stop as well.

“Senator Amidala, was there anything else we could help you with?” Obi-Wan asked, diplomatically.

“I wanted to apologize if my behavior was overly aggressive. I was only trying to offer you a greater level of deniability, a chance to go into detail proving you exhausted all other avenues.”

“I’m glad you were clear on your intentions,” Anakin said, bluntly.

“What Anakin means is that we have exhausted all political approaches, except using Dod as a mediator and we wouldn’t want that to be held against us,” Obi-Wan said in a clipped tone.

“I’m not speaking with anybody, I have made my perception of this assignment very clear,” Anakin stated.

“Anakin, stop acting like a child,” Padmé scolded, forgetting that they weren’t alone.

“ _ Make me _ ,” he said, deadly serious.

Ahsoka raised her eyebrows to her hairline, her mouth shaping an ‘o’ as her whistle was very low. Obi-Wan rubbed a hand over his face, playing the dumb card. It was hard, when they were very obvious. Padmé, to her credit, kept her face serenely smooth, not letting her reaction show. “I’m not your mother, or your teacher. That’s not my job. And I think I should go back into the rotunda and  _ do _ my job before someone says something they can’t take back.”

He watched her go with a sulky look. Obi-Wan muttered something under his breath and resumed walking, with Ahsoka giggling behind her hand after him.

* * *

Anakin got home before she did. After the meeting at the Senate, he was dismissed early. He sat on the couch and turned the HoloTV, changing channels until he found an animated movie. He was too grumpy to deal with anything else, so he used the Force to lift the cookie jar from the kitchen to his hands.

She arrived with her handmaidens in tow, and stopped when she saw him on the couch. “Ellé, Moteé, you can take the evening off. I’ll handle myself tonight,” she said as she removed the outer layer of her dress.

Both handmaidens exchanged an amused look, before bowing down and leaving. Anakin popped another cookie in his mouth and chewed slowly, turning back to the HoloMovie. Padmé crossed in front of him to block the screen, pulling out her headdress and pins so that her hair tumbled down freely.

“I’m wa’ching tha’,” he said, mouth half-full with a cookie.

“I don’t care.” she dropped the headdress on the floor, arms crossed over her chest. “You told me to make you stop acting like a child.”

He shrugged, changing positions so he was watching the HoloMovie again. He placed another cookie in his mouth. “I t’ough’ you we’ent my tea’er.”

“No. But I  _ am _ your wife.” She removed the second layer of the dress so that she was only standing in the thin white slip and the underwear beneath it. Red, lacy underwear. “So, are we going to act like a child tonight?”

Anakin chewed on his bottom lip as he looked at her from head to toe. He set the jar aside. “Depends,” he sat up straight. “Are you going to make me behave like an adult, Senator?”

“That’s the intent,” she said, lowering the left strap of her slip, followed by the strap of her bustier. “I’m sorry for how I acted today. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you or upset you.”

“Well, you did,” he said and pouted, adorably so. “But I’m starting to feel a little bit better,” he added as he saw the red strap fall as well.

“I have to be tough on you,” she said as she stepped closer. “So that people won’t think I’m soft on you and start suspecting what’s really between us.”

“I still maintain my position,” Anakin said. “And you’re always tough on me and everyone, so no one is going to suspect if once or twice you take my side.”

“I’m always on your side,” she protested, sitting on his lap with her arms wrapped around him. “I don’t like what the war’s doing to you, to any of the Jedi. And I want peace so that you can come home to me.”

“It doesn’t feel like that sometimes,” he placed his hands on her hips. “I want to come home too, but we keep hitting the same troubles and words won’t do us any good. They need to understand, we mean business and we’re not going to be pushed around.”

“Love,” she sighed, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. “I swear to you, I’m just worried about your safety.”

Anakin melted into her touch, wrapping his arms around her waist. “And I just want to handle this quickly, so we can get back on track with this war. The sooner we win it, the sooner I’m home,” he whispered.

“I’m concerned about the price we might be paying to win, that’s all.” One of her hands drifted down to his mechno-arm. “I’m not going to stop trying to bring you home with as little bloodshed as possible.”

He nuzzled her neck. “I wish that were possible,” he placed some feather-like kisses over the curve of her neck. “But sometimes, we just have to make the best of what we are given.”

“Enough,” she sighed, implicitly conceding defeat. “I don’t want to talk about the war anymore. We get so little time together. I want to enjoy it.”

He flipped their positions on the couch, so she was pressed against the soft cushions and he was hovering above her. “Wise words, Angel. I will have no trouble obeying to those,” he whispered and leaned down to kiss her, forgetting their troubles and the real world outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the time has, at last, come to bid farewell to Flufftober. We had a blast doing it, and while we've already started work on the continuation of In The Shadows, we wanted to ask you which of the prompts you want to see us continue. Here's a link to the survey we've set up: https://forms.gle/yJ8oMYNeyy3sLFz66. Pick your top 3 prompts from this month, and submit! You guys are the best. Stay safe out there!


	32. Continuation Survey Results Are In!

Hi everyone! How are you doing?

We know it has been a few stressful days, with the election going on in America (as we're posting this, there's still no winner, but our fingers are crossed), but we have good news on your Anidala/Vaderdala front. Our “ballots” are all counted and we have the three winning prompts!

Overall, 77 of you cast a vote and we want to take a few seconds to thank you for the support and love you’ve been leaving us over our stories. Your excitement excites us and your enthusiasm is thrilling. 

Below, see the final results:

 **1st Place:** Enigmatic (44 votes)

 **2nd Place:** Do You Trust Me? (32 votes)

 **3rd Place:** Radiance (25 votes)

4th: Always (19 votes)

5th: Yours (17 votes)

6th: Monochromatic (17 votes)

7th: Thunderstorm (12 votes)

8th: Possibilities (11 votes)

9th: On the Road (9 votes)

10th: Wounded (8 votes)

11th: Breathless (7 votes)

12th: Serendipity (7 votes)

13th: Half-Written (5 votes)

14th: Stop Hogging the Blankets (5 votes)

15th: Quicksilver (4 votes) 

16th: Starlight (4 votes)

17th: Once Upon a Time (1 vote)

18th: Make Me (0 votes)

19th: Unwavering (0 votes)

We’ll start planning the winners soon, as we have some other new stories already prepared for you guys.

Meanwhile, check out “In the Shadows - A Different Turn To the Dark Side”, one of the prompts that we immediately connected to and turned into a multi-chapter. Third chapter is out, go check it out and leave your comments! :)

Thank you to everyone who participated, commented, and loves this couple as much as we do.

Wear a mask. Stay safe!


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